Darkness of the Heart of the Sword
by Dorkfish
Summary: What if Kenshin had a yami? What if his yami's name was Battousai? Posted with original author's consent.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!".

**Chapter 1**

--Final Battle of the Bakumatsu 1869--

Battousai was finally beaten and he knew it. He had been fighting all day, and he was exhausted. The fighting had been almost non-stop and Battousai needed a break. Unfortunately, that was when _he_ decided to show up.

--Several Minutes Earlier--

"I finally found you, Battousai.", said the master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Sejiro Hiko XIII.

Battousai was silent, wishing for nothing more than for his former master to leave, yet knowing he would do no such thing.

Hiko continued, "I don't know what you've done to Kenshin, but I do know that you are not him. You have left me no choice." He slid into a fighting stance, preparing to attack.

Battousai felt his hikari trying to take back control of the body, and returned to his soul room.

"Master! Please don't!", Kenshin begged him, his eyes changing from the hard amber to a softer violet.

Hiko looked startled, but quickly regained his composure. "I'm sorry, Kenshin. This is the only way I can set you free.

"Did it ever occur to you that I don't want to be set free, Master? That I'm not a prisoner?!

Hiko shook his head. "I won't fall your tricks, Battousai!" Before Kenshin could respond, Hiko attacked.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Ku-zu-ryu-sen!

Kenshin, who had never seen this technique before, was too slow to react. Fortunately, Battousai had again taken control when he had sensed the change in Hiko's ki, signaling his attack. Battousai only managed to block three of the nine strokes, receiving deep mirror cuts on both legs, sides, and arms before flying back from the force of Hiko's attack, landing on the ground several feet away. He did manage to block the sword swings aimed at his vitals and that was the only reason that he was still alive.

--Back to the Present--

Hiko slowly walked to where his former deshi had fallen, noting as he did so, that his eyes had changed back to amber. "It's fitting that you should be in control as you meet your end." He raised his sword, preparing to strike.

Battousai just lied there, aching all over from both the earlier battles and Hiko's last attack. He knew that he did not have the strength nor energy required to dodge the next one. _I only have one option left. I just hope that I still have enough strength left to do it._ As he started chanting softly, the pendant he wore around his neck started to glow.

Hiko heard Battousai trying to say something and was about to ask when he noticed the pendant was glowing.

"No! You won't escape me!" Hiko yelled, bringing his sword down with all his might. The blade struck the ground with a loud clang. Battousai had vanished.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!". 

Notes: 

//...// Battousai to Kenshin 

/.../ Kenshin to Battousai 

\\...\\ Yami to Yugi 

\...\ Yugi to Yami 

_italics_ thoughts 

~*~ scene change 

**Chapter 2**

Yugi Mutou was walking home from school alone. Normally, his friends would have accompanied him, but they all had prior engagements. Tea had the dance classes she had signed up for, the first step to making her dream of being a dancer come true, while Joey and Tristan were enjoying detention after starting a food fight in the cafeteria--again. Yugi didn't mind walking home alone--after all, it gave him a chance to talk to Yami. It was during their conversation that Yami felt it. 

\What is it, Yami?\ asked Yugi. 

\\I'm not sure. I felt a strong magical energy just now. It felt as if it was trying to pull itself toward me, but then it just...stopped,\\ Yami sounded a little confused. 

\Is it dangerous, do you think?\ 

\\I'm not sure, aibou,\\Yami admitted. 

Yugi was so wrapped up in his thoughts, that he almost failed to notice the prone form of a teenager lying in the alley between the Kame Game Shop and the next building. Once Yugi noticed him, he ran over to see if the teenager was alright. The boy was lying on his back, as if he had been thrown backwards. He had long red hair that was pulled up into a ponytail on top of his head. He was wearing a midnight blue gi and a grey hakama. He had two arm guards going from the back of his hands half way up both arms and also had two swords, a shorter one in a sheath at his waist, and a longer one held limply in his right hand. 

_Well, that's certainly not a sight you see everyday. I wonder where he got those weird clothes? They look like something from my history book!_, thought Yugi. It was then that Yugi noticed the dark stains on both the gi and hakama, and the pool of blood that was starting to form around the boy. Coming closer, Yugi checked the boy's pulse to see if he was alive. He was, and Yugi also noticed a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. When Yugi touched him, the boy moaned and moved his head to the other side, allowing Yugi a view of his scar. Yami, however, noticed a flash of light given off by the pendent the boy wore, as it caught the sunlight when he moved. 

\\That's interesting...\\ Yami said, drawing Yugi's attention to the pendent. It was a doll-sized mask that appeared to be made of gold with large eyes painted in black. The expression was neutral and it had a headdress that was black and gold striped that went down past where the shoulders would be. It also had a third Egyptian eye in upraised gold in the middle of it's forehead. A loop on the top allowed it to be worn on a string or chain about one's neck. 

\Do you think that the power you felt earlier came from that?\ asked Yugi. 

\\Perhaps... We won't know for sure until he wakes up,\\ Yami replied. 

Carefully removing the swords and arm guards (swords are still illegal), Yugi ran and hid them in his room, and then called an ambulance. The ambulance arrived in a few minutes and took the unconscious boy to the hospital. The police arrived shortly after to get as much information from Yugi as they could (which wasn't a lot, seeing as Yugi knew about as much as they did) before going to investigate the matter. 

Yugi had asked the paramedics which hospital the boy would be taken to so he could check up on him later. Yami also wanted to keep an eye on the boy, to see if his pendent was indeed the Millennium Mask. 

~*~ 

Kenshin was drifting somewhere between his dreams and reality. His body was trying to wake up, but his mind wanted to stay in oblivion, knowing the aches and pains from the battles and wounds he endured would be waiting for him. It was a losing battle and, finally, he gave up trying to go back to sleep and opened his eyes. _Huh?! Where am I? What is this place...?_ Kenshin thought, confused. He was on a bed in a white room, dressed only in an odd white gi that didn't close completely in the back and came almost to his knees. He was covered in a sheet, although there were more blankets folded neatly at the foot of the bed. Next to his bed, there was a table with the Millennium Mask resting on it. Behind that were several...things...that appeared to be made out of metal and glass that beeped and had flashing lights. He placed the Millennium Mask back around his neck as he searched his memory, but found nothing that could help him identify where he was. He remembered Hiko, standing over him with his sword drawn, ready to strike. _But what happened after that? Battousai started mumbling something I couldn't understand...Oh, of course! The Millennium Mask! He must have evoked it's powers to get us out of there! But where is _here_? It's like I'm in another world...or maybe...just in a different time?_ Kenshin thought. Suddenly, he remembered the wounds Hiko had given him. _Wounds? But I'm not in any pain..._ Kenshin looked down to see his bandaged arms. He checked and found similar bandages on his sides and legs as well. _At least I'm not dead...I think..._ Kenshin tried asking Battousai about what had happened. 

/Battousai?/ Kenshin called, softly. /Battousai, can you hear me?/ 

Kenshin could feel his presence, but he wasn't answering. _That spell must have really drained him...I'll try again later_, he thought. Suddenly, the door to his room opened and an older man, dressed in white, with a long coat, entered carrying a thin board of some sort. He saw Kenshin staring at him and smiled. 

"So, you're awake, are you? Good. My name is Dr. Kagarashi. You were brought in to the hospital last night. Your injuries, although somewhat serious, should heal soon because they were treated so quickly, but I am curious as to how you received sword wounds. I mean, really, who uses swords in this day and age? What happened to you, young man?" the doctor inquired. 

It was just a simple question, but it made Kenshin freeze. His thoughts were racing. _What does he mean "who uses swords in this day and age?" Everyone uses swords...Oh, no, **in this day and age**... I must have gone to the future! What do I tell him? What **can** I tell him?!_

The doctor took the panicked expression on Kenshin's face to mean that he couldn't remember. "Do you not remember what happened, son? Can you tell me your name? Do you know where you are?" 

Kenshin saw the opportunity to escape and took it eagerly. "My name is Kenshin. Kenshin Himura. As to what happened and where I am, I have no idea." Well, it was half true. He didn't know where he was or how he had gotten there. The doctor hadn't specifically asked how he had gotten the sword wounds. 

The doctor's eyes softened. He looked at Kenshin with sad eyes. It must have been a very traumatizing experience to cause memory loss without a blow to the head. This was already turning out to be a tricky case. This boy had no medical file, no records at the police station, no one had filed a missing person report and he had no form of identification on him whatsoever. And to top it all off, the boy might not even remember enough to help them. "Do you remember anything else besides your name, son?", the doctor inquired, softly. 

Kenshin didn't know exactly how far in the future he was, so he decided the less he claimed to know, the better. Kenshin slowly shook his head, putting on an expression of a lost child who has just found out that they are alone in the world. _Hey, I might as well play the part,_ Kenshin thought, trying not to laugh at the looks of sympathy the doctor was giving him. 

//I see nothing funny about this predicament we're in, Kenshin,// said a tired voice in the back of Kenshin's mind. Kenshin, although startled, didn't show it. Assuming the doctor was done, he started fiddling with his pendent, as if straining to remember. The doctor turned to go, leaving the teenager alone with his thoughts. Kenshin, however, was talking to Battousai. 

/Battousai! You're awake! I was worried,/ Kenshin said to his darker half. 

//Yes, that spell took more energy than I had to give. It might be a few days before I have all of my strength back,// Battousai admitted. 

/Speaking of which, what did you do? Where are we?/ Kenshin asked. 

Battousai chuckled a little nervously. //Actually, Kenshin, I'm not really sure where, or to be more precise, when we are. You see, the spell I cast is one allowing time travel, one of the powers of the Millennium Mask. The only drawback is that the caster cannot control when in time he will end up. However, I did sense another Millennium Item and, more importantly, the hikari's aura was innocent and pure. I tried to draw us to him, but I lost consciousness before I was able to find him. I should imagine that we are somewhere close to him, in his time.// 

/So, basically, you have no clue,/ Kenshin said, recapping Battousai's explanation. 

//No.// 

They didn't say anything for awhile, both lost in their own thoughts, until Battousai broke the silence. 

//Well, Kenshin, it appears that we are closer than I thought. I sense a Millennium Item, being carried by the same hikari that I sensed before. He is coming here.// 

~*~ 

"Excuse me, Miss?" Yugi said, trying to get the nurse's attention. It was Saturday, so no school, and Yugi decided to check up on that strange boy he had found in the alley the previous day. 

The nurse looked over the counter at Yugi. "Can I help you, little one?" she said in a sweet voice, obviously reserved for children. Yugi cringed. 

\Why does everyone think I'm a kid?!\ he complained. 

\\Well, it could have something to do with your size. You are rather small for your age,\\ Yami commented. 

\Yeah, but they don't have to point that out every chance they get,\ Yugi grumbled. To the nurse he said, "Um, I found this boy in an alley by my house yesterday and I wanted to check up on him and make sure he was okay." 

The nurse typed something on the keyboard and then stared at the screen for a few minutes, clicking the mouse occasionally. Finally, she said, "Oh, here he is! One Kenshin Himura, brought in yesterday to be treated for six sword wounds, correct?" 

"Um, I didn't get his name because he was unconscious, but those wounds could have been made by swords, yeah," Yugi answered.

The nurse peered at her chart again. "I'm sorry, it says only immediate family is allowed to visit him...wait a minute," she looked at the chart again. "Apparently, no family can be found, and the boy can't give any information regarding them, due to amnesia. Hmm. Well, since there is apparently no family, I suppose it would be all right if you visited him. He's in room 207, the seventh door on the left on the second floor." 

"Thank you," Yugi said, as he turned to go. 

"Wait a minute--where are your parents? Aren't you a little young to be running around by yourself?" the ever helpful nurse asked. 

Yugi ground his teeth in frustration, as Yami chuckled at the mistake. Turning back around, he put a cheerful smile on his face. "Oh, my Grandpa went to get a drink of water and sent me to find out the room number. We're supposed to meet back in the lobby," he said, pointing in the direction he was trying to go. 

"Okay. Do you want someone to go with you, so you don't get lost?" the nurse asked. 

Yugi was trying to keep the smile on his face. "No, that's okay, I can find it by myself." 

"Okay." 

Yugi walked over to the elevator, muttering under his breath, while Yami's laughter echoed in his mind. 

\It wasn't that funny, Yami,\ Yugi said, punching the button for the second floor. 

\\I'm sorry, aibou. I shouldn't have laughed at you,\\ Yami apologized. 

Yugi sighed. \It's okay, it just gets annoying, always having to correct people on my age.\ 

The elevator opened and Yugi walked to room 207, opened the door, and went inside. 

~*~ 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**Chapter 3**

~*~ 

Yugi entered the room, and saw the red-haired youth lying on the bed. His eyes were closed, and he appeared to be sleeping. _Better come later,_ he thought, turning to go. 

"Who are you?" asked a soft voice behind him. 

Yugi turned and noticed that the figure on the bed was indeed awake, and now looking at him with lavender eyes. \Wait a minute, lavender eyes? I've rarely seen anyone else's eyes that color...\ 

\\ It is indeed a strange phenomenon...\\ Yami added. 

Yugi just stared at his eyes, trying to tell if they were real or just colored contacts. 

Kenshin shifted a little under the scrutiny. /What is he staring at? I don't look that odd, do I?/ Kenshin wondered. 

//Well, we did stick out before, with red hair and all. Maybe times have not changed as much as I thought,// Battousai suggested. 

/That's true,/ Kenshin said, sighing. His eyes wandered around the room again. /To have progressed this much and still stare at someone with red hair.../ Kenshin's gaze slid back over to Yugi. /Although, I'm sure his hair would attract more attention than mine,/ he pointed out, studying Yugi's tri-colored hair. Battousai shrugged mentally. 

Yugi finally noticed that he had been staring, mistaking Kenshin's break in eye contact for embarrassment under scrutiny. "I'm sorry!" Yugi quickly apologized. "It's just that, well, I've never met anyone else who had eyes a similar color to mine. I didn't mean to stare." 

_Oh, so that was it,_ Kenshin thought. "It's alright, I usually tend to stick out in a crowd for one reason or another," Kenshin said, trying to lighten the mood. 

Yugi suddenly remembered Kenshin's earlier question. "Oh, I'm being rude. My name is Yugi Mutou. I was the one who found you in the alley. You look a lot better now than you did then. What happened?" 

Kenshin thought it best if he stuck with his original story, until he found out more about Yugi. "I'm not exactly sure myself. I can't really remember much, aside from my name," Kenshin shrugged, apologetically. 

"Oh. That's an interesting necklace you've got there," Yugi said, changing the subject while pointing at the Millennium Mask around Kenshin's neck. "Do you remember where you got it?" 

Kenshin stiffened a little as the Mask was singled out, but relaxed when he sensed only curiosity in Yugi's aura. He closed his eyes, remembering. 

~*~ Outside of Kyoto, 1861 ~*~ 

A large group of people walked slowly down the dusty road leading away from Kyoto. They had finished trading slaves the day before, and were now headed to the next town. Three of the new slaves they had gained, Akane, Kasumi, and Sakura, had immediately taken a liking for the small red-haired boy, already part of the slave caravan. They felt sorry for him because he was so young, just a child, and because he was small for his age, which meant that he was punished for not being able to do the same amount of work the other slaves could do. Although he had been a slave for a year, Shinta was still a kind child, innocent and always trying to help the girls who looked on him with an almost motherly concern. As they were walking, Kasumi reached into her sleeve and pulled out a necklace with a solid gold pendant. She handed it to Shinta, who looked at it with wide eyes and then looked back at her, confused. 

"I want you to have this. It'll protect you," she told him. 

Shinta shook his head. "But you could buy your freedom with that," he said softly, still staring at the object in her hand. 

Kasumi just shook her head. "Oh, they'd take it alright. Then they'd make up some excuse about it not being real, not being worth enough, or maybe just because it was in the hands of a slave, it's already rightfully theirs," she said, disdainfully. Then her face softened. "Please. I want you to have it." 

Hesitantly, Shinta reached out his hand and accepted it. The pendent seemed to glow in his hands. He broke out into a huge grin and flung his arms around Kasumi's waist. 

"Oh, thank you!" he said, hugging her tightly. 

"You're welcome, Shinta. Just remember, you must always hide it, for if anyone sees it, they'll take it away and sell it," Kasumi warned him. 

Shinta nodded exuberantly. "I'll keep it safe," he assured her, slipping the necklace around his neck. The rope was too long for his small body, enabling him to hide the pendent beneath the folds in his gi. 

Later on that night, they were attacked by bandits. Chaos reigned supreme as the bandits came forth from the darkness, slaughtering all who fled before them, slaves and traders alike. Three girls rushed to escape, carrying a small, red-haired child. They were surrounded, however, and could do nothing more than crouch on the ground, trying to shield the boy with their bodies. Sakura rushed forward to plead with the bandits. 

"Please, don't hurt him--ack!" 

Shinta heard her scream and then the sound of something heavy being dropped on the ground. "Shinta, don't look--oh, my dear sister, no!" Kasumi cried in anguish. Akane also rushed forward. 

"Please, spare this child!" 

She did not scream, and Shinta only heard the sound of metal slicing through something soft. He also felt something wet and warm splash on his face. Kasumi fell forward, shielding him with her body. 

"Shinta--Shinta, you must listen to me! Your life has not been chosen for you, so you must live. Listen! Our fates have been decided tonight, but you must survive to honor those who did not--ahh!" One of the bandits picked her up off Shinta, holding her by her hair. He took his sword, and ran it in the back of her neck and out the front. She feebly grasped the blade as the bandit pulled it out, letting her fall to the ground. 

Shinta watched in horror, knowing he was next. He tried to run, but his legs seemed to be frozen in place. He tried to scream, but he could not make a sound. He just sat there in shock, unable to do anything while the bandit slowly approached him, raising his blade. Then there was a flash of light, and Shinta knew no more. 

When he awoke, there were bodies all around him. He recognized the traders and slaves, but was surprised to find all of the bandits dead, as well. _They're all just victims, now,_ he thought, sadly, as he found a stick and started digging graves for them. 

Three days later, Shinta had finished. He had fashioned markers by tying two sticks together and sticking them in the ground to mark each grave. All except for the three that he stood before now, which had stones. He had searched for flowers, but had been unable to find any, as it was the wrong time of year. Suddenly, he heard a man walk up behind him. 

"So you made graves for the bandits, as well as your family." 

_How did he know about what had happened?_ "This wasn't my family-- they were slave traders. But that night they stopped being bandits or traders, they were all just victims," Shinta said, sadly. 

"And what about those three?" The man gestured to the stones. 

"Akane, Kasumi, and Sakura." Shinta pointed to each grave in turn. "Even though I had only known them for a day, they protected me like I was their own." 

"I see. You probably didn't need them to protect you. You were pretty quick when you dodged that bandit's sword. You've got a lot of potential, but it's still lucky for you that I happened to be walking by that night. What's your name?" the man asked. 

"Shinta", he answered distractedly. _What is he talking about? I didn't dodge that bandit's sword--I couldn't even move! But, then why am I still alive? Why can't I remember what happened?!_

"A child's name; too soft for a swordsman. From now on, you will be known as 'Kenshin'." 

"Ken-shin?" Shinta looked up at the man. 

"I am Seijuro Hiko XIII. Learn the name of your new master. I have found a pupil. Consider yourself fortunate." 

~*~ 

"A close friend gave it to me when I was a boy. She said it would protect me. I sometimes wish that she had kept it, because she was killed very shortly thereafter," Kenshin said, shaking his head, with a melancholy smile. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry," Yugi said, shuffling his feet. 

"It's okay, it happened a long time ago." 

Yugi paused. "Wait a minute--I thought you said you didn't remember anything?" Yugi said, looking at Kenshin curiously. 

Kenshin looked startled, and he quickly thought up an explanation. "You must have triggered my memory when you asked about my necklace," he said, appearing to study the pendant thoughtfully. He was actually reading Yugi's ki to see if he believed Kenshin's lie. 

"Oh," Yugi said. _I guess that makes sense,_ he thought to himself. 

They were silent for awhile after that, before Kenshin spoke up. "I wanted to thank you for helping me. You are very kind. You could easily have passed me by, and not done anything." 

Yugi looked absolutely horrified at the thought of not helping someone who was in need. "You talk like that happens a lot! Is it like that where you come from?" 

Kenshin mentally slapped himself. _Kenshin no baka!_ he thought. Aloud he said, "I'm not really sure why I said that. I can't really remember." 

"Sorry. I guess only certain things will trigger your memory, huh? I thought maybe some vague questions might help, but apparently not," Yugi said, feeling powerless to help Kenshin regain his memories. 

"That's okay, don't worry about it." 

There was nothing left to say, so Yugi excused himself, and left. As soon as he was gone, Kenshin withdrew to his soul room to talk with Battousai. Battousai was waiting for him in the corridor between the two rooms. 

/Well? Is that the hikari you sensed before?/ Kenshin asked, guessing at the answer. 

//Yes, it is. It is odd that his yami didn't come out to speak with us, or that he didn't say anything about it, though,// Battousai said, thoughtfully. 

/Perhaps he has a Millennium Item and his yami has not yet been awakened?/ Kenshin suggested. 

//Or, perhaps he was trying to get more information about us before giving too much about himself,// Battousai countered. //He did ask about the Mask specifically, when asking about nothing else.// 

/He did, but that could also be because that is the only item that I have, aside from these strange garments./ 

//True. I'm assuming that they were provided for you when you were brought here? I must say, if these are the latest fashions, I must decline,// Battousai said, rather scornfully. Wearing nothing but a hospital gown left him feeling a little exposed. 

/But what about my katana and wakizashi? And my arm guards? I assume that, since he was the one who had found me, he took them. The doctor said it was rather odd that I had sword wounds in the first place, and I'm sure he would have mentioned something, if I had been brought in with any accessories having to do with swords,/ Kenshin pointed out. 

//I suppose so. I just don't know right now, Kenshin. I think this might be a little easier to figure out after we get some more rest. I'm still worn out from trying to time travel in an already exhausted state, and Hiko wasn't exactly holding back on that last attack, you know,// Battousai said, somewhat dryly. 

/I know, he hit my body, remember? Although, I'm not in any pain. The doctor said something about having given me some _painkillers_. Wonder what they are? That might explain why I don't hurt with six slashes on my body. If only we had had this back during the Bakumatsu..,/ Kenshin said, thinking back to some of his more painful injuries. 

Battousai smirked. //Listen to yourself. _Back during the Bakumatsu_... you sound like an elder, and you're only 15! Although, now I guess you are old, seeing as you were born in the 1800s and we're now way beyond that...Oh, well,// he said, stifling a yawn. 

Kenshin took pity on his yami. Battousai did look tired, and Kenshin himself wasn't feeling too opposed to a nap. /I'm returning to the body now to get some sleep. You should try to rest as well./ 

Battousai nodded, retreating back into his room. 

Kenshin took control of his body once more, when he thought he heard a door close. _I thought Yugi left a little bit ago,_ he thought, as he looked towards the doorway. No one was there, so he dismissed it as his imagination, lay down and let sleep claim him. 

~*~ 

Yugi was walking down the hallway towards the elevator. \So, what do you think, Yami?\ 

\\I'm not sure. He's definitely hiding something, though.\\ 

\Are you sure? After all, he did lose his memory. Maybe you're just over-reacting.\ 

\\Over-reacting?!\\ Yami asked, indignantly. 

\Well, you have been under a lot of pressure lately...\ 

\\Well, if you think that I am over-reacting, then how do you explain the swords the boy was carrying? If I am not mistaken, swords were banned over a century ago.\\ 

\The swords! How could I have forgotten to ask him about the swords?!\ Yami winced as Yugi yelled in his mind. He'd have to remind him not to yell later, after he had calmed down. 

Yugi, meanwhile, had rushed back to room 207, and let himself in. "Kenshin, I forgot to ask you abo-" Yugi stopped short when he saw Kenshin. The red-haired youth was sitting on his bed and, although his eyes were half-open, he didn't seem to be awake. His eyes were glazed and unfocused, and he almost seemed to be in a trance. Yugi walked over and waved his hand in front of Kenshin's eyes. No response. 

\Uh, Yami? I take back what I said earlier,\ Yugi said. 

\\Hm? What changed your mind?\\ Yami asked, curiously. 

\Well, when I go to my soul room to talk to you, my friends have told me what it looks like on the outside. Kenshin is either tripping out on some sort of drugs or he's in his soul room talking to his yami,\ Yugi explained, looking at the unresponsive form in front of him. 

\\Yugi, I think it would be wise to not be in the room when he comes back,\\ Yami warned. \\We'll have to keep a close eye on him, however, it would be best if we watch what he does before he realizes that we know about his yami.\\ 

Yugi decided that Yami's advice would be their best option right now, and left the room as quietly as he could, not seeing Kenshin's glance to the spot he had stood only seconds before. 

~*~ 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**Chapter 4**

One week passed, Kenshin healing in the hospital with frequent visits from Yugi. Yugi couldn't explain why he visited Kenshin every day after school--he just felt drawn to the redhead. Yami didn't mind, as it allowed him to keep tabs on the mysterious youth. Yugi talked with Kenshin and found him to be quite a likeable person, and the two were becoming good friends. It was now Saturday and Yugi was once again on his way to room 207. However, he was surprised to see that Kenshin wasn't alone. A tall woman with short black hair, dressed in a long black skirt with a light pink blouse, was sitting in a chair talking to Kenshin while pulling some folders out of her briefcase, which was on the floor beside her. Yugi didn't want to interrupt, but was curious as to who this person was, so he waited in the doorway, unnoticed by the two occupants of the room. 

"And you can't remember anything that might be helpful, Kenshin?" the woman asked. 

"Gomen, Miss Horishi, but I can't remember anything," Kenshin replied. 

Ms. Horishi sighed. "Well, we'll keep looking, but I'm not sure if we'll be able to find anything new. As I told you before, if we can't find any of your family, then you will be sent to a foster home as soon as you're released from the hospital," she said. 

Yugi was a little surprised at that statement. \They _still_ haven't found any of his family?\ he wondered. 

\\Apparently not,\\ Yami answered him. 

Yugi jumped at Yami's voice, not realizing that he had said that out loud. \But to be sent to a foster home... From what the people at school say, it's not a pleasant experience.\ 

\\Well, I should imagine that being wounded and waking up in a hospital with no memory wouldn't be a pleasant experience, either. Besides, what choice does he have?\\ Yami asked. 

Yugi was a little surprised by the spirit's response. \Yami, since when did you start caring about trivial things like that? You always talk about Kenshin like he's an enemy.\ 

\\...\\ 

\What caused you to change your mind about him?\ Yugi pressed, eager to hear Yami admit that he was wrong. One doesn't get to hear a pharaoh say he was wrong very often. Yami, however, was saved from having to answer when someone tapped Yugi's shoulder, trying to get his attention. 

"Wha...?" Yugi said, looking up to see Ms. Horishi looking at him worriedly. 

"I asked if you were alright, dear. You were staring into space," she repeated. 

"Oh, I was just thinking about some things..." Yugi replied, waving away her concern. 

"Alright," she said, turning back to the red-head in the room. "Kenshin, I'll let you know if I find anything new." With that, she turned and walked down the hallway. 

Kenshin watched her go, and then turned to Yugi. "It's good to see you, Yugi. It gets pretty boring with only the nurses to talk to all day," Kenshin said, with a smile. 

Yugi smiled back. "Well, I was bored, so I decided to visit the sick and wounded. When are you getting out of here, anyway?" Yugi asked. 

"The doctors say that my wounds are healing nicely, and I should be released in another week," Kenshin replied. "After that, I'm not sure what's going to happen." 

"Still nothing on your family, huh?" Yugi asked, already knowing the answer. 

"No. They won't find anything," Kenshin said, absently. 

"Why do you say that?" Yugi asked. It was almost as if Kenshin knew the reason that they couldn't find anything... 

Kenshin, realizing his mistake, quickly covered it by saying, "Well, if they haven't found anything yet, they probably won't find anything at all." 

"Oh." That made sense. 

"So, what brings you here so early? You usually come by later...," Kenshin said, trying to steer the conversation in a less dangerous direction. 

"Huh? Oh, it's Saturday! No school, although I'm meeting my friends at the arcade around 2:00," Yugi said. 

"The arcade?" Kenshin asked, not knowing what it was. 

"Oh, it's this place you can go to play all kinds of games. I like to hang out there with my friends," Yugi explained. 

"Sounds like fun. What time did you say you were meeting your friends at?" 

"2:00. Why?" 

"Then, I suggest you hurry. If I'm not mistaken, that clock on the wall says that it is now 1:58." 

"What?!" Yugi looked at his watch. "Sorry, Kenshin, but I gotta go! I'll see you later!" he called over his shoulder as he raced out of the room. 

~*~ 

Yugi sat on his bed in his room. His schoolbook was sitting on the bed next to him, while he held his notebook on his lap and absently twirled his pencil in his right hand. 

\\Aibou, your homework is not going to finish itself, you know,\\ Yami gently reprimanded. 

\I know, but I can't concentrate. I feel bad for Kenshin. Doesn't he have any family willing to come forward and claim him? I can't stand the thought of him being put in a foster home,\ Yugi said. 

\\I know, but there's nothing you can do about it. You can't help everyone you meet, aibou. Some situations are beyond your control,\\ Yami said. 

\I know, but still...\ Yugi paused, as an idea struck him. \Actually, we might be able to do something after all, Yami,\ Yugi said cheerfully, going over his plan in his mind, checking it for flaws. 

\\What are you suggesting, aibou?\\ Yami asked. 

\I'd have to talk to grandpa about it, but I think it would work!\ Yugi was really getting excited about it. 

\\Yugi, what are you talking about? What would work?\\ Yami asked again, getting more than a little confused. 

\Not now, Yami, I have to go talk to grandpa!\ Yugi said, rushing down to the store where Mr. Mutou was. 

\\Yugi!\\ Yami called, trying to figure out what was going on, but he got no answer. Yugi had broken the link. 

~*~ 

"What are you doing out of bed?!" Kenshin cringed as the irate nurse spotted him walking slowly down the hallway. 

"Gomen, but I needed to use the restroom," Kenshin replied, giving her an innocent smile. 

"You're on strict bed rest until your wounds have healed enough to keep from re-opening when you move around. The doctor said that you weren't allowed to walk around on your own until Thursday, at the earliest! How many times do I have to tell you?! Now wait here while I go find a wheelchair to take you back to your room." The nurse glared at him. "You had better be here when I get back!" With that, she turned and walked down the hallway. 

Yugi laughed as he walked up to his friend. "You really like to get her all riled up, don't you? You only try to walk around when it's her shift," Yugi said, smiling. He and Kenshin continued down the hallway at a slow pace towards Kenshin's room. 

"No, she's just the only one who really cares whether or not I'm out of bed. My wounds are healing nicely, and I'm not doing anything that would cause them to re-open, so I don't really see what the problem is. I suppose it doesn't matter. Four more days and she won't have to worry about me walking around when I'm not supposed to. Seven more days, and she won't have to worry about me at all!" Kenshin said. He didn't seem too concerned about his situation, but he had learned to conceal his true emotions, and old habits die hard. Truth be told, he was more than a little nervous at being placed in a home with people he didn't know, in a time he had not yet learned how to survive in. 

"Oh, that reminds me!" Yugi exclaimed suddenly, startling Kenshin out of his thoughts. "I talked with Grandpa, and he said it would be okay, so I was wondering--if, you know, they can't find your family--would you like to come and live with us instead of going to a foster home? It's just me and Grandpa, and you could go to school with me and I could show you around and you could meet all my friends-" Yugi realized that he was babbling, but he didn't think that he would be this nervous. He doubted that this was as brilliant an idea as he first thought it was. _Why would Kenshin want to come and live with me? I mean, he barely even knows me! I met him, what, about a week ago? I feel so stupid, he's probably gonna say no..._

Yugi's rambling was cut short when Kenshin placed his hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Arigatou, Yugi, I would really appreciate it if you would let me stay at your house," Kenshin said, with a genuine smile.

Yugi smiled back, suddenly feeling much better. "Grandpa said that he would need to talk to your social worker and see if we're allowed to do that, but he seemed to think that it would be alright. This is gonna be so cool! You can have the room next to mine--wait, will you be able to walk up the stairs? I told you that we live on the second floor, above of the game shop. Will we need to give you a room on the bottom floor?" Yugi asked, looking at Kenshin with all-too-innocent eyes. 

Kenshin gave Yugi a mock glare as they reached his room. "Just because I have an overly-zealous nurse who takes everything the doctor says to be law, doesn't mean that I am incapable of doing normal, everyday things. I will be able to climb up the stairs just fine, Yugi," Kenshin said, a little dryly. 

"Speaking of overly-zealous nurses..." Yugi's voice trailed off, his eyes focused on something behind Kenshin. 

Kenshin turned to see a very vexed nurse storming down the hallway, wheelchair thrust forward before her. 

"Mr. Himura! When I say wait for me to come back, I MEAN wait for me to come back!" she practically yelled at a cringing Kenshin. She then turned to Yugi. "You're his friend, why didn't you make him wait? He could be making his wounds worse! You want him to heal faster, don't you?!" she said, looking at Yugi accusingly. 

"Uh..." Yugi stuttered, not expecting to be caught in the crossfire and now not sure how to get out. 

"Gomen nasai," Kenshin apologized, finding the floor suddenly very interesting. 

Yugi, not wanting to get involved any further, decided that it was time to go. "Well, I gotta go, but I'll see you later, Kenshin!" 

Kenshin gave him a pleading look that said don't-leave-me-to-deal-with-her-on-my-own. Yugi shrugged apologetically as if to say hey-she's-your-nurse-not-mine before turning and quickly heading for the elevator. 

"Now, Mr. Himura, I expect full cooperation from you in following your doctor's orders, or I will have you strapped to that bed to ensure you follow his orders!" she said, staring at him as if daring him to argue. 

"Oro!" 

~*~ 

Japanese words: 

hai- yes 

gomen, gomen nasai- sorry, I'm sorry 

arigatou- thank you 

nani- what 

demo- but 

baka- stupid, idiot 

deshi- pupil, apprentice 

aibou- partner (this is what Yami calls Yugi) 

yami- dark (in this case, the darker side of someone) 

hikari- light (in this case the lighter side of someone) 

oro- something Kenshin says 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**Chapter 5**

Monday and Tuesday passed rather uneventfully. Kenshin had somehow gotten hold of one particular person's work schedule for the week, and was able to avoid another unfortunate encounter with the strict nurse. Ms. Horishi had told Kenshin that she would be back to check in on him Wednesday afternoon. 

Kenshin looked at the clock on the wall. It read 4:27. Yugi sat next to Kenshin's bed, looking at the door. "What time did she say she'd get here?" Yugi asked. 

Kenshin sighed. "As I told you two minutes ago, she said she'd be by sometime this afternoon." 

\\You need to be patient, aibou,\\ Yami chided, gently. 

Yugi ignored him. "Well, I wish she'd hurry up. Grandpa didn't want the shop to be closed for the rest of the afternoon, but at this rate... Where did Grandpa go, anyway?" Yugi asked. 

"I think he went to get something from the cafeteria," Kenshin replied. Mr. Mutou had accompanied Yugi to the hospital to meet Kenshin, and to talk to Kenshin's social worker. As if talking about the man had summoned him, Mr. Mutou walked into Kenshin's room, carrying three bags of chips. 

"The cafeteria didn't have anything good, so I opted for the lobby vending machine, instead," he explained, handing both Yugi and Kenshin a bag of chips. Yugi took his eagerly, ripping the bag open and devouring its contents. Kenshin took his a little more hesitantly and, after watching Yugi, opened the bag and peered inside. 

//I doubt it's poisonous,// Battousai said, chuckling at his hikari's wariness of the food. 

Kenshin jumped almost imperceptibly at Battousai's unexpected comment. Yami, who was watching through Yugi's eyes, noticed Kenshin jump, but didn't say anything. 

/It's not that, it's just none of the food I've received here has been very good, and I'm not eager to try more,/ Kenshin said dryly. 

//Well, whether it's an acquired taste or not, you're going to draw unwanted attention to yourself by opening a bag and starting a staring contest with it.// 

Kenshin looked up and both Yugi and his grandpa were looking at him. "Do you not like potato chips, Kenshin?" Mr. Mutou inquired. 

"No, it's not that. I was just...thinking." Kenshin winced inwardly at how lame his excuse sounded. Yami had his suspicions, but Yugi trusted Kenshin so Yami didn't say anything. 

However, Mr. Mutou, thinking Kenshin was nervous about whether or not Ms. Horishi would let him live at the Mutou's residence, smiled encouragingly at Kenshin. "Don't worry. I'm sure it'll all work out." 

Kenshin blinked. Then he smiled back at Mr. Mutou. /Did I just miss something?/ he asked his yami. 

//Not unless we both did,// came Battousai's equally confused reply. //At any rate, now that you said you like them, you have to eat these _potato chips,_ unless you wish him to be suspicious of you.// 

/.../ 

Kenshin reached into the bag, pulling out a chip, and popped it into his mouth. Salty, crunchy, basically tasteless. He rubbed his fingers together. Greasy. Nope, he definitely did not care for hospital food. 

Fortunately, Kenshin was spared from forcing himself to finish the package by the arrival of Ms. Horishi. 

"Oh, Kenshin, I didn't realize you had visitors. I'll come back later," she said, turning to go. 

Yugi jumped up, practically latching himself on her arm to keep her from escaping. "No, wait! Don't go! We need to talk to you!" 

Kenshin and Ms. Horishi just stared at Yugi. 

"You'll have to forgive my grandson. He can be a little excitable at times," Mr. Mutou said, chuckling. Yugi, realizing what he had just done, let go of Ms. Horishi's arm, blushing in embarrassment as Yami laughed in his mind. 

//No kidding. And you want to move in with him because...?// Battousai asked, sarcastically. 

"Did you find out anything new, Miss Horishi?" Kenshin asked, ignoring Battousai, and trying to steer the conversation in the right direction. 

Ms. Horishi shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid not, Kenshin. It looks as though you'll be put in a foster home this Saturday." 

"Actually, that's why we're here," Mr. Mutou said. 

Ms. Horishi looked at him. "And you would be...?" 

"Oh, forgive me. You haven't yet been introduced. Miss Horishi, this is Mr. Mutou, Yugi's grandfather," Kenshin explained. 

"Pleasure to meet you." Ms. Horishi extended her hand. 

Mr. Mutou shook it. "Likewise. The reason I'm here is that I was wondering if it would be possible for Kenshin to come and live with my grandson and I." 

Ms. Horishi crossed her arms, putting one finger on her chin while she thought about it. "Well, I don't see why not. I will, of course, have to run it by my superior. And there's a lot of paperwork to fill out..." 

"Of course. When would you like me to come by?" Mr. Mutou asked. 

"Are you busy right now? It'll probably take several hours." Ms. Horishi replied. 

"Right now would be fine. Yugi, are you fine riding the bus home, or would you rather I drop you off along the way?" Mr. Mutou asked, turning to his grandson. 

Yugi, however, was too busy telling Kenshin about how cool it was going to be living together to hear his grandfather's question. Fortunately, Kenshin was following the adults' conversation and, since he already had Yugi's attention, posed the question himself. 

"Yugi, your grandfather wants to know if you want to stay and take the bus home or if you want him to drop you off," Kenshin quickly asked as Yugi paused for breath. 

"Uh? Oh, yeah, I can take the bus home, Grandpa. So anyway, Kenshin..." 

Mr. Mutou smiled at his grandson as he turned and followed Ms. Horishi out of the hospital. 

~*~ 

Three days later, Kenshin was released from the hospital. Doctor Kagarashi strode into Kenshin's room, carrying a bundle of clothes. "Here are your clothes. They've been cleaned for you. You are finally free to get out of here. From what the nurses tell me, you can't seem to get out of here soon enough. Is our hospital really that bad?" the doctor asked. 

"Uh...," Kenshin stammered as he tried to find an explanation. As an assassin, he never stayed in one place for too long for fear of the enemy finding him. His instincts were telling him he had to move and, although he knew they were no longer in a war, it would take some time before that concept completely sank in. 

The doctor, however, couldn't read Kenshin's mind and assumed that he, like all patients, just couldn't wait to go home. "Don't worry about it, Kenshin. None of my patients ever want to be here, and all are eager to leave when they are released. Considering how well you followed my orders, I'm a little surprised that you didn't just walk out of here by yourself..." Dr. Kagarashi said, referring to Kenshin's walks around the hospital when he was supposed to be on strict bed rest. 

Kenshin scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "Gomen..." 

The doctor waved away his apology. "I don't mind, you didn't re-open any of your wounds. Although, I'm sure at least one nurse won't be sorry to see you go..." 

"Hai," Kenshin said, smiling. 

"Well, I'll let you get dressed," the doctor said, exiting the room. Kenshin quickly changed into his uniform. It felt good to be back in his old clothes, but he doubted that he would be able to wear them much longer. His clothes were too different from the clothes in this era, and he would draw too much attention to himself. Besides that, the clothes hadn't been mended, allowing you to see the bandages on the wounds from Hiko's last attack. 

/I guess the clothes will have to go,/ Kenshin said, a bit sadly. They were almost all he had from his own time. 

//Yeah. It feels weird wearing this without my swords, anyway,// Battousai said. 

/Speaking of which, we still need to ask Yugi about that./ 

//Yeah, that'll go over well. _Yugi, I know I just moved in and you really don't know me, but can I have my swords back? I know you took them. Don't worry, I don't want to kill you or anything, I just want them back because I feel naked without them and I need them to kill my enemies. **Why are you backing away from me...?**_// Battousai said, mimicking Kenshin's slightly higher voice. 

/I didn't say you would be the one asking Yugi. It needs to be handled more delicately than that. You'd end up getting us arrested. I'll ask him. You needn't be so sarcastic...,/ Kenshin said, muttering the last part to himself. Battousai smirked mentally. 

Further conversation was interrupted by a very excited Yugi bursting through the door. "Kenshin! Are you ready to-- Whoa! I had forgotten. We need to get you some new clothes! We'll stop by the store on our way home. Are you ready?" Yugi asked, excitedly. 

Kenshin just smiled. "Yes, Yugi, I'm ready to go." 

//So when are you going to ask him about the swords? Now, or after you've gotten a new wardrobe?// Battousai asked, innocently. 

/Shut up./ Kenshin followed Yugi to the elevator, Battousai's laughter echoing in his mind. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!". 

**Chapter 6**

Upon arrival at the Mutou residence, Yugi grabbed Kenshin and proceeded to give him a tour of the game shop and house, showing him the locations of the kitchen, bathroom, etc., finally stopping at Kenshin's new room. It was located next to Yugi's and contained only a bed, dresser with mirror and a closet, at present. Mr. Mutou brought up the bags containing Kenshin's new wardrobe that they had purchased on the way home. Yugi had tried to get Kenshin black leather outfits similar to his own but Mr. Mutou, seeing how uncomfortable Kenshin was in black leather, had opted for a couple pairs of blue and black jeans with several loose-fitting T-shirts, along with a pair of black and white sneakers. Mr. Mutou had also bought a black trench coat, at Kenshin's request. 

"Well, Kenshin, this is your room. My room is right next to it, and Grandpa's is down the hall," Yugi said, pointing. Kenshin nodded absently. He was trying hard not to stare at everything around him. He was still in a state of shock from the car ride and the mall, and he was starting to feel quite overwhelmed at everything this new era had to offer. Fortunately, Yugi took his reaction to be exhaustion from overdoing it on his first day out of the hospital. "Kenshin, I think you should lie down for a little while. I'll come up and get you when it's time for dinner," Yugi said, leading Kenshin into the room. 

"Thank you, Yugi. I think I will do that," Kenshin replied, sinking down onto the bed. 

Yugi turned to go. "Oh, and don't forget to check under the bed!" Yugi said, closing the door. 

/Under the bed? What do you suppose he's talking about?/ Kenshin asked, confused. 

//Got me.// Battousai was stumped as well. 

/Well, there's only one way to find out./ Kenshin forced his tired body to sit up and then slide down to the floor. Leaning down, he peered under the bed. 

/Oh. I guess I won't have to ask Yugi after all./ 

There, under the bed, were Kenshin's katana, wakizashi, and arm guards. There was also a note from Yugi. 

_ Since swords are illegal, I decided not to tell Grandpa about them. But, they do belong to you, so I thought you might want them back. I wouldn't let Grandpa see them, if I were you, though. _

//Interesting. Swords are illegal, huh? Well, this makes things a bit more difficult,// Battousai said, complaining. 

/Were you actually going to wear them out in public?/ Kenshin asked. 

//Why not?// 

/Never mind. We'll discuss this later. For now, I would like to get some sleep before dinner. I think it would be best, if we left the swords where they are, for now./ With that, Kenshin pulled himself back onto the bed and fell asleep. 

~*~ 

Yugi left Kenshin's room and entered his own room. \Okay, Yami, what's bothering you? \ Yugi asked, sitting on his bed. 

\\Nothing important. Kenshin's reactions just didn't seem, well, normal,\\ Yami replied. 

\What do you mean?\ 

\\He acted like he was seeing everything for the first time.\\ 

\Well, he does have amnesia. You, of all people, should be able to relate,\ Yugi pointed out. 

\\But that's just it! While I do not remember many things from my past, when I do something that I've done before, I experience a feeling of...familiarity. I know I've done it before, and I'm comfortable doing it. But Kenshin...take the car ride home, for example. Did you see his face when Grandpa started the car? His eyes were wide and he was looking around trying to figure out where the noise was coming from. And when we started moving, I half thought that he was going to jump out! It's obvious he's never ridden in a car before,\\ Yami stated. 

\Come to think of it, his reactions today kinda reminded me of your reactions the first time you did that. What does it mean?\ Yugi asked, a little confused. 

\\I don't know, aibou. It may mean nothing at all. Don't worry about it. I'll keep an eye on Kenshin.\\ 

Just then, Yugi heard his Grandpa calling him. \Probably wants me to start dinner. What do you think we should make tonight?\ 

~*~ 

Kenshin awoke to the sound of a door opening and someone entering his room. He tensed, preparing to fight. He opened his eyes to slits so he could see what the person was doing. He relaxed when he saw that it was only Mr. Mutou, carrying Kenshin's freshly washed clothes. Kenshin turned over so he could see Mr. Mutou better. Mr. Mutou turned at the sound and saw Kenshin staring up at him. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kenshin. I didn't mean to wake you," he apologized. 

Kenshin shook his head. "It's alright. If I sleep too much today, I won't be able to sleep very well tonight," he explained. 

"I suppose that's true. I've washed your clothes for you, and I'll let you put them away so you know where to find them. Dinner should be ready in about 15 minutes if you feel up to eating." Mr. Mutou placed the pile of clothes on the dresser. "I'll be downstairs, if you need anything," he said, turning to go. 

"Thank you, Mr. Mutou." 

"Kenshin, a foster home is a lot like adoption. You're part of the family now, so you don't have to be formal. Just call me grandpa," Mr. Mutou said. 

"Hai. Arigatou...Grandpa," Kenshin said. It felt strange calling him that, but Kenshin felt like he could get used to it. 

~*~ 

On Monday morning, Yugi woke up early to get ready for school. He was eager to introduce Kenshin to all of his friends. He went to Kenshin's room and opened the door a little bit. Kenshin was in bed, still asleep. Yugi walked over to him, and shook his shoulder gently. Suddenly, Kenshin grabbed Yugi's wrist and twisted his arm while sliding off the bed. Surprised, Yugi fell to the floor with his arm twisted behind his back. 

"Who sent you?!" a hard, cold voice demanded, quietly. 

Yami was about to take over Yugi's body when suddenly Yugi's arm was released and Kenshin was helping him off the floor. Kenshin looked horrified at what he had just done. 

"Gomen! Gomen nasasi, Yugi! Are you okay?! I'm so sorry! You startled me. I was having a nightmare and I thought you--I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!" Kenshin said in a rush. 

Yugi was stunned. That was certainly not what he expected. He recovered and tried to calm down Kenshin, who was starting to go into hysterics at what he had just done. "I'm fine, Kenshin, I'm fine. No harm done," Yugi said with a smile, discreetly rubbing his arm. 

"I'm so sorry! Are you sure you're all right? I didn't hurt your arm, did I?" 

"No, no, I'm fine. I was just coming to wake you up so you could get ready for school," Yugi explained. "I'd better go help Grandpa with breakfast." With that Yugi turned and left the room. 

Kenshin just stared after him, trying to get his breathing under control. 

//Wonder what he thinks of us now? I bet he's regretting giving us back our swords.// 

Kenshin remained silent while he got ready for school. 

~*~ 

"Kenshin! Breakfast is ready!", Mr. Mutou called through the door to Kenshin's room. 

"Alright. I'll be down in a minute," Kenshin replied. 

Grandpa went back downstairs to the kitchen where Yugi had just finished setting the table. Yugi looked up. "Is Kenshin coming?" 

"He'll be down in a minute. He takes almost as long to get ready as you do," Grandpa replied, bringing the food over to the table. 

"Grandpa!" 

Just then, Kenshin came down the stair and entered the kitchen. He was wearing his school uniform with the black trench coat over it. His hair was pulled up into his usual ponytail and swayed back and forth as he walked. He made eye contact with Yugi briefly before looking away, embarrassed. He silently took a seat at the table. 

"Oh, good, you're here so we can start eating," Grandpa said as he started serving the two boys. 

"So are you excited to start school Kenshin?" Yugi asked brightly. 

Kenshin was a little surprised by Yugi's question. Yugi was acting like nothing had happened. 

//He's in denial,// Battousai guessed, equally stunned at Yugi's behavior. 

Kenshin just shook his head. Yugi, not knowing about Kenshin's private conversation, tried to cheer him up. "Oh, don't worry, it won't be that bad. You're in all my classes, so you won't have to worry about getting lost," Yugi said. 

Kenshin smiled. "Arigatou, Yugi." 

Breakfast was pretty uneventful. Kenshin watched Yugi and Grandpa eat and then mimicked their movements. He found homemade food tasted much better than what he had been served at the hospital. Soon after breakfast, Yugi and Kenshin were on their way to school. Yugi was talking animatedly about his friends, while Kenshin listened. 

"Hey, Yug!" 

Yugi turned. "Hey, Joey!" 

A blond haired boy, a little taller than Kenshin, ran up to them. "Joey, this is Kenshin. Kenshin, this is one of my best friends, Joey," Yugi said, making the introductions. 

Kenshin bowed. "It is nice to meet you, Joey. Yugi has told me much about you," Kenshin said. 

"Hey, you're the kid that Yugi found that lost his memory, right?" Joey asked. 

"I suppose you could put it that way, although I would not define myself as a _kid_," Kenshin said, frowning. 

"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean it like that. Anyway, this your first day of school?" Joey asked. 

"Wouldn't you have seen him before, if it wasn't?" said a brown haired boy as he walked up to them. A girl, also with brown hair, who was a little shorter than him, accompanied him. 

"Hey, watch it, Tristan! I was only trying to make conversation," Joey shot back. 

Yugi stepped in. "Kenshin, this is Tristan and Tea, my other two best friends," Yugi explained. 

"Hey," said Tristan. 

"Hi," said Tea. 

Kenshin bowed to them. "It is nice to meet you. Yugi has told me much about you," Kenshin said. 

"Wow, you don't have to be so formal. We're all friends here," Tea said, a little embarrassed. 

"Yeah, any friend of Yugi's, is a friend of ours," Tristan confirmed. 

Kenshin smiled. "Arigatou." 

"Hey, guys, if we don't hurry, we're gonna be late! Come on!" Yugi said, as he took off running. The other four followed suit. 

They got to the class room and took the last five seats available. Fortunately, there were two seats right next to each other near the back of the class, so Kenshin and Yugi sat there. Tea had to sit in the front of the room by the door, with Tristan two seats to the left, while Joey sat in the fourth seat from the back on the last row. Just then, the teacher came in. 

"Good morning, class. Today, we have a new student. Mr. Kenshin Himura." 

Kenshin stood up and bowed to the class before returning to his seat. 

"Today, I will be lecturing, so you can put your history books away. We will be studying a very bloody time in the history of our country, the Bakumatsu," the teacher said. 

Kenshin froze. He gasped softly, his eyes wide, but quickly regained his composer. There was no way they could link him to the Bakumatsu, right? He was a shadow assassin for half of the war, and he left no survivors in any battles he fought in for the other half. No one even knew of his existence, right? 

"In the Bakumatsu, each side had employed manslayers, also known as 'hitokiris,' the most legendary of these being the infamous Hitokiri Battousai himself." 

_So much for no one knowing of my existence,_ Kenshin thought to himself. 

"The legends describe him as a demon, with blood red hair, glowing amber eyes, and a cross-shaped scar. They say he was a monster of a man, standing 7' tall and that he moved so fast that he couldn't even be seen. He killed many men, numbering in the hundreds, and without him, the revolution very well may have failed. It is said that he vanished after the last battle of the Bakumatsu was won. While legends generally become blown out of proportion over time, the legend is often based on fact. So, while it was true that there was a man named Hitokiri Battousai who was obviously very good at what he did, seeing as his name still brought fear for the next few decades, I doubt he is as the legend describes him. For instance, I doubt that he could move so fast that no one could see him. That is just not humanly possible. Seven feet tall? I think not. And who's ever heard of someone with yellow eyes? What is he, a cat?" 

The class laughed half-heartedly at the teacher's attempt at humor. Kenshin, however, while remaining composed, had turned pale when the teacher started describing him. At the mention of his scar, he leaned forward, resting his left elbow on his desk, and rested his chin in his palm, effectively covering the scar with his fingers. Beads of perspiration had begun to form on his forehead. His right hand curled and uncurled itself in his lap, while his foot was tapping the floor nervously. 

Yami, who had been watching Kenshin since he had gasped, was a little confused. _What is he so nervous about?_ Yami thought to himself. _What would make him uneasy about the Bakumatsu?_ Yami happened to glance at Yugi's book, which had been opened to the chapter on the Bakumatsu. There was a picture of two samurai fighting. What caught Yami's attention, however, were their clothes. They were the same style that Kenshin had been wearing when Yugi had found them. They were also drawn fighting with two swords, one long, the other one a little shorter. _Like Kenshin's swords. And the arm guards. But what does it all mean? Wait--the Millennium Mask! I believe that it's power is--the power to transcend time! So that means that Kenshin is from the Bakumatsu himself. And, judging from his reaction to the teacher's lecture, I would guess that he is the Hitokiri Battousai himself! Those sword wounds make sense now, and his reaction when Yugi woke him up this morning--wait! My aibou is sleeping in the room next to the HITOKIRI BATTOUSAI! At least he doesn't have his swords..._ Yami was getting a little concerned with the current situation. Yugi felt Yami's anxiety. 

\Yami? Are you okay?\ he asked. 

_Great. I can't tell Yugi. He either wouldn't believe me, or worse, he would! I don't want him to worry. I'll banish Kenshin to the Shadow Realm, if he tries to hurt my hikari..._ \\Yes, Yugi, I'm fine. I was sleeping and I had a nightmare. I'm sorry to have bothered you,\\ Yami apologized. 

Yugi didn't quite believe him, but the spirit had never lied to him before. \It's okay. Do you want to talk about it?\ Yugi asked. 

\\I'm fine, aibou, but you should be paying attention to the lecture.\\ 

Yugi sighed. \Hai.\ Yugi went back to listening to the teacher, while Yami went back to watching Kenshin. The boy was short, not as short as Yugi, but not much taller, either. And he looked so fragile, as if one hit would bring him down. _How much of that legend is true, I wonder?,_ Yami thought to himself. 

\\Yugi?\\ 

\Yes, Yami?\ 

\\What did you do with Kenshin's swords?\\ 

\I gave them back to him.\ 

\\What?!\\ 

Yugi winced. \I didn't see why not, I mean they are his to begin with. What's the big idea? I mean, it's not like he's a manslayer from the Bakumatsu or anything,\ Yugi said, chuckling. 

Yami was silent. 

\Yami?\ 

\\I just don't like the idea of weapons being in the house, especially illegal ones,\\ 'That happen to be in the hands of legendary hitokiris,' Yami added silently to himself. 

\What about my dueling deck? That can be a weapon,\ Yugi said, feeling a little annoyed that the spirit didn't trust Kenshin. 

\\You know what I mean, Yugi.\\ 

\You mean weapons that only you can use are okay.\ 

\\Yugi...\\ 

\It's not like Kenshin is going to attack us with them. Why he has them is his own business, and I'm not going to ask for them back. I don't want to argue about this, Yami. Kenshin is my friend and I trust him. If you can't give me a valid reason why I shouldn't, then I'm going to let him keep the swords.\ 

Yami considered telling Yugi his suspicions about Kenshin, but he didn't have any real proof, and Kenshin had not done anything to threaten Yugi, aside from the incident that morning. Yami would just have to keep a close watch on him, then. 

Auther's Notes: 

I have questions about the other Millennium Items' powers for anyone who can answer them! Here are the items' powers that I do know (I think) 

Millennium Ring- locate other Millennium Items 

Millennium Tauk- see past/future events 

Millennium Rod- control people's minds 

Millennium Key/Ankh- enter people's minds 

Millennium Scales- weigh and judge people's souls 

Millennium Eye- read people's minds 

Is that right? And does anyone know what the power of the Puzzle is? Or is the power of the Puzzle the power of the Pharaoh? Oh, and here's the power of the Mask, for my story 

Millennium Mask- time travel, increases user's abilities (speed, strength, agility, endurance, etc.) In Kenshin's case, since he's already inhumanly fast, thanks to Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, the added boost from the Mask makes him fast enough to dodge any Shadow Magic thrown at him i.e. if Yami attacked him with 'Mind Crush,' Kenshin would be able to dodge it, if he was wearing the Mask) 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!". 

Also, my story is taking place after Duelist Kingdom, but before Battle City. 

**Chapter 7**

The rest of the school day was uneventful, and the hours after school found Kenshin at the arcade with Yugi and the rest of his friends. They had chanced upon Ryou Bakura and he had joined their group. They were just standing around talking, every now and then playing one of the games, but mostly just hanging out. Kenshin, however, had a disinterested expression on his face as he let his gaze wander around the arcade. He was actually trying to see everything without being too conspicuous. He was amazed by all the games this "arcade" had to offer and at all the technological improvements made in the past two hundred years, such as moving pictures that you can actually control. As such, he was not following the conversation between his new friends. 

"You know, Joey, you really do look like a dog when you inhale your food like that," Tristan pointed out, laughing at his friend. 

"Enough with the dog jokes already! I get enough from Kaiba, as it is!", Joey complained, annoyed. 

"Well, if you didn't act so much like a dog, then no one would make fun of you for it!" Tristan taunted. 

"All right, that's it! You're gonna get it now!" Joy said as he tried to punch Tristan. Tristan moved back and Joey's momentum propelled him forward into the person next to Tristan, which just happened to be Kenshin. 

Unfortunately, Kenshin was too busy trying to see everything in the arcade without drawing attention to himself, and didn't realize Joey was coming towards him until he felt Joey's fist connect with the wound in his side--hard. Kenshin's eyes widened as he gasped at the unexpected pain. He fell to his knees, clutching his side as his vision flickered. He sat there for a few minutes waiting for the pain to subside and his vision to clear. 

//Little brat! What'd he do that for?!// Battousai demanded, enraged. 

/I...don't think...that he meant...to hit me/, Kenshin managed to reply between the throbs of pain he was experiencing. 

Yugi immediately ran over to Kenshin, kneeling on the floor beside him. "Joey, what'd you do that for?! Kenshin didn't do anything to you!" Tea yelled. 

"I'm sorry! I meant to hit Tristan! It was an accident! Besides, I didn't hit that hard! He must be a real wuss, if he can't even take a hit like that!" Joey said, trying to defend his position even though he looked shocked at what he had just done. 

"Joey, there was a reason Kenshin was in the hospital. He has a pretty deep slash in his side," Yugi explained before turning back to Kenshin. "Are you alright? 

Kenshin drew a shaky breath. "Hai. I'm fine," he said quietly. 

Joey looked even worse than before. "Hey, Kenshin, I'm sorry man. I was trying to hit Tristan..." Joey glared at Tristan. 

Kenshin managed to push himself to his feet. "It's alright, Joey. No lasting damage done," _I hope,_ Kenshin said, adding the last part silently to himself. Kenshin smiled, trying to assure his friends that he was indeed all right. Ten minutes later, Kenshin's side was still throbbing, so he decided it was time to go home. 

"Yugi, I am a little tired, so I'm going to go home, alright? 

Yugi looked at him. "I'll come with you, so you don't get lost. 

Kenshin shook his head. "I'll be alright. You can stay, and hang out with your friends a while longer," Kenshin replied. 

Yugi did indeed want to stay with his friends, but he couldn't leave Kenshin alone in a city he didn't remember. Ryou, seeing the conflict within Yugi, decided to help out. "It's about time I headed back to my house, too. Yugi, if you'd like I can make sure Kenshin finds the shop alright," Ryou volunteered. 

Yugi brightened at that. "Thanks, Ryou! Well, I guess I'll see you later, Kenshin!" 

Kenshin nodded, and headed towards the door. He didn't want to be around anyone, but it might look suspicious, if he outright refused any company. His side was still hurting, and it took a lot of energy to act like he was fine. If he was lucky, maybe he could convince Ryou that he knew his way home. 

Ryou followed Kenshin out of the arcade, and they started walking down the street. 

"So, Kenshin, where are you from?" Ryou asked, trying to make conversation. 

"I don't remember anything prior to waking up in the hospital," Kenshin said shortly. He was not in the mood for small talk. 

"Oh." 

There was suddenly a drastic change in Ryou's ki, but Kenshin was too preoccupied to think anything of it. 

"Let's take this alley. I know a short-cut to the Game Shop," Bakura said. Kenshin noticed a slight change in Ryou's voice, but the thought of being home sooner was appealing to him, so he ignored it. They walked on in silence for several more minutes. Soon, Kenshin noticed they were at a dead end. 

"Ryou, I thought you said that this was a short-cut home?" Kenshin asked, confused. 

"Did I say that? Well, it's a short-cut to your new home--right in here." Bakura held up the Glory of the King's Opposite Hand card that he had received when he was invited to Duelist Kingdom. 

Kenshin was confused. "What are you talking about? 

Bakura liked to gloat, so he explained it to Kenshin. "I'm going to seal your soul in this card, and then I will not only have your soulless body at my disposal, but also your Millennium Mask! And to make it even better, I'll also be in a prime position to steal the Millennium Puzzle from Yugi!" Bakura exclaimed, with an evil laugh. Had he not been so caught up in his success, he might have noticed Kenshin's warm violet eyes turn into the cold, glowing amber eyes of a hitokiri. 

Battousai closed his eyes, concentrating. If Ryou's yami did indeed attack with Shadow Magic, Battousai would need to be alert and ready to dodge it. Kenshin's body was injured, so it was likely that he wouldn't be able to dodge a second attack. He extended his senses, feeling everything around him, readying himself for the attack. Bakura was an idiot to give him time to prepare himself, a mistake he would not get to make twice. 

/Don't kill him. / 

//What?// Battousai asked, startled. 

/I said, don't kill Ryou./ 

//Why not? He's trying to give you a fate worse than death! This is merely self-defense, kill or be killed. This is as it always has been, and as it always will be.// Battousai argued. 

/While that may be true in a time of war, there is no war here. People deserve second chances. As for Ryou...it's not his fault. It's his yami. Would you kill an innocent hikari for something his yami did?/ Kenshin asked. 

//Yes. The end result is still the same. The yami cannot act without his hikari.// Battousai answered without hesitation. 

/Well, I'm asking you to spare him. I will do everything in my power to fight you, if you refuse, and you know I'll win. Just like last time/ Kenshin said, remembering his wife. 

//Yes, but you were too late, weren't you? Fine, I'll do as you ask. I'll spare his life--for now// Battousai conceded. 

/Thank you./ 

Bakura looked at him. "I hope you're done praying, or whatever, cause I'm ready now." Bakura called upon the powers of the Ring and held the card up while sending a wave of Shadow Magic at Kenshin. Bakura watched as Kenshin...disappeared? Confused, he looked at the card, thinking that he might have accidentally sent Kenshin's body to the Shadow Realm with his spirit. A soft, deadly voice spoke softly in his ear. 

"For my hikari, your life shall be spared." 

Suddenly, something hard connected with the back of Bakura's head, rendering him unconscious. Battousai stood over him, returning his sword to it's concealed place beneath his trench coat (A/N: think of _Highlander_). He had flipped the blade, so that the dull side had struck his mark. However, his actions had cost him dearly. The wound in his side that Joey had accidentally hit had reopened from his attack, and possibly the wounds on his legs when he had dodged. The wound on his right arm was also hurting, from the force of the impact when his sword hit Bakura's skull. 

//No wonder the Kuzu Ryu Sen is the ultimate technique of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Even if it doesn't kill you, it sure limits your fighting abilities until you've completely healed!// Battousai complained as he picked up the card that Bakura had been holding and slowly made his way back to the street, limping slightly. 

/Why are you taking the card?/ Kenshin asked, confused. 

//I'll let him live because you asked me to, but I'll not leave him armed. I'm not sure what this card has to do with anything, but it seemed important to whatever he had in store for you, so I'm going to relieve him of it.// Battousai said, simply. 

Battousai looked around as they reached the street. //Do you know where we are?// he asked. 

/This place looks familiar... Oh, wait! We passed this building on the way to school this morning. Head back down this street, and we should come to the Game Shop. To think, we already passed by it! We could have been home already, if Ryou hadn't volunteered to escort us,/ Kenshin said, excited at the fact that home was so close. 

//Convenient, wasn't it? I think that he and his yami had that planned when we left the arcade. Are you regretting your choice to let him live?// Battousai asked, smirking. 

/No. I still think that Ryou had no part in this whatsoever. Do you think that I would have killed Tomoe to ensure that I defeated my enemy?/ Kenshin asked, anger and sorrow apparent in his voice. 

//I am truly sorry for what happened that day-// Battousai began. 

/Don't. Just, don't. I know you'd do the exact same thing, if a similar situation arose/ Kenshin said, bitterly. 

//I didn't want her to die-// 

/Stop it! Just stop it already! What's done is done, and neither you, nor I can change that!/ 

They walked the rest of the way in silence. 

Battousai kept control of the body until they reached the Game Shop. He wanted to spare Kenshin as much of the physical pain as he could. He had already caused Kenshin enough mental pain and even Kenshin's wounds could be blamed on Battousai. It was him who Hiko had been trying to kill, after all. 

When they reached the door, Kenshin took over. The pain hit him hard, and he had to grab the door for support until he found his balance. After centering himself, he took a deep breath and stepped inside. 

~#42;~ 

After Kenshin and Ryou had left, the conversation between Yugi and his friends had continued, as if there had been no interruption. After a few minutes, Yami felt someone using Shadow Powers in the direction of the Game Shop. 

\\Yugi. We need to get out of here now. I just sensed some Shadow Powers being used in the direction Kenshin and Ryou left in.\\ 

Yugi's eyes widened. "Uh, guys, I gotta go. 

"Hey what's the rush, Yug? 

Yugi shuffled his feet. If he told his friends what Yami had said, they'd want to come along and they might end up getting hurt. 

"I know, you feel bad for ditching Kenshin and talking to us when you're the only person he really knows here, right? You want to go and apologize, and make sure he's alright." Tea, of course. 

Yugi jumped at the opportunity to escape. "Yes! I feel bad and I want to make sure he's okay!" Well, that was true. He was worried that something had happened to Kenshin. 

"Alright, Yug. We see you tomorrow in school, right? 

"Right. Bye!" Yugi called over his shoulder as he left the arcade. As soon as his friends were out of sight, Yami took control and sprinted to where he had felt the Shadow Magic coming from. 

~#42;~ 

"Hello, Kenshin," Grandpa said as he saw Kenshin enter the store. "Where's Yugi?" 

"He wanted to stay at the arcade and hang out with his friends. It's okay, Ryou made sure I didn't get lost on the way home," Kenshin said, noticing Grandpa's disapproving face at Yugi leaving Kenshin to find his way home alone. 

"Kenshin, is your side hurting you?" Grandpa said, gesturing to Kenshin's left side. 

Kenshin looked down and saw that he had his hand pressed firmly over the wound. _I guess that was a little too obvious. Oh well, at least I have an excuse..._ "One of Yugi's friends, Joey, was trying to hit Tristan. Tristan dodged and Joey ended up hitting me. I must say, he has a pretty good punch," Kenshin said smiling slightly. 

Grandpa looked concerned. "Kenshin, maybe you should let me take a look at it. 

"No, it's alright, I would just like to lie down for awhile, if that's alright with you?" Kenshin asked, hoping Grandpa wouldn't push the subject. Joey probably wouldn't hit Kenshin hard enough to make the stitches break. 

"All right. Go ahead on up to your room. You already had dinner at the arcade I presume?" Grandpa asked. Kenshin nodded. "Then I'll see you in the morning. Let me know, if your side is still causing you pain. 

"Hai. Goodnight, Grandpa. 

"Goodnight, Kenshin. 

Kenshin went to the bathroom upstairs and pulled off his shirt. Sure enough, the blood was starting to seep through the bandages covering the left side of his stomach. Sighing, he pulled the bandages off and tossed them in the trash. He then took the ointment the doctor had told him to use and spread it liberally on his now open wound before reapplying fresh bandages. He checked all his other wounds and found that they had thankfully not reopened. He applied the ointment and changed the bandages anyway. Then he went to his room, placed his sword back under the bed, changed into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and, crawling into bed, was asleep before his head hit the pillow. 

~#42;~ 

Yami was getting closer to where the shadow power had originated from. Yugi's body was not athletically built, so Yami had slowed down to a fast walk. Yami was a little surprised when he walked right past the Game Shop, but kept heading to where he could sense the remnants of shadow magic lingering still, like a residue from the spell. Yami reached a dead-end alley where he concluded the magic must have been cast from. Looking around, he was startled to see Ryou on the ground towards the end of the alley. Running over to him, Yami gently turned him over and checked his pulse. It was strong, so that meant Ryou had probably only been knocked out. After several unsuccessful attempts to wake him up, Yami ran back to the Game Shop and allowed Yugi to tell Grandpa that they had found Ryou unconscious in the alley. Grandpa called an ambulance and went to the hospital, since Ryou's father was out of town, leaving Yugi home with Kenshin. 

\Yami, what do you think happened?\ Yugi asked. 

\\Someone with a Millennium Item tried to send someone else to the Shadow Realm. It's as simple as that,\\ Yami stated. 

\You think Kenshin tried to send Ryou to the Shadow Realm? Why would he do that? There's no point,\ Yugi argued. 

\\The more souls one sends to the Shadow Realm, the more powerful one's item becomes. It's what Pegasus was doing, before we stopped him. Bakura was doing it, too, before Tristan got rid of the Ring. Besides, there are no Millennium Items, aside from the Puzzle and the Mask, that are currently within Domino City. Who could it have been?\\ 

\Well, I don't think that it was Kenshin. I trust him, Yami. I don't think he attacked Ryou. Besides, Kenshin was coming home. Why would he attack Ryou way over there? Why not sooner? I don't think he did it,\ Yugi said, stubbornly. 

\\Yugi, all of the evidence points to Kenshin. He probably didn't want us to get suspicious, so he made it seem like it happened after he was already home,\\ Yami said, gently. 

\I still don't believe Kenshin did it. End of conversation.\ 

\\As you wish, aibou. But you will have to accept the truth sooner or later.\\ With that, Yami broke the link. 

Yugi sighed, and went upstairs. It was late, so he decided to go to bed. He went to the bathroom to brush his teeth, but something in the trashcan caught his attention. Bloody bandages. Kenshin had somehow reopened one or more of his wounds. _If what Yami said was true, why would Kenshin attack Ryou when he was already injured? And Ryou didn't look like he'd been in a fight. What really happened?_ Yugi thought as he wandered down the hall to Kenshin's room. He opened the door quietly. Kenshin was asleep in his bed, breathing softly. His clothes had been discarded and lay where they fallen on the floor. Yugi turned to go when something caught his eye. Sticking out of Kenshin's pants pocket was what appeared to be a Duel Monsters card. Yugi quietly walked over, and picked it up. He gasped when he turned it over. It was Glory of the King's Opposite Hand. This was the same type of card that Pegasus had used to hold Grandpa's, Mokuba's and even Kaiba's souls. Pegasus would've put Yugi's soul in one of those cards, had Yugi lost his duel with him. Yugi shuddered at the memory. The only people who had those cards were people who had been invited to Duelist Kingdom. But, Kenshin didn't even have a dueling deck. What was he doing with this card? 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!". 

**Chapter 8**

Yugi awoke the next morning to the sound of Grandpa knocking on his door. "Yugi! It's time to get up and go to school!" Grandpa called through the closed door. Yugi mumbled something unintelligible and rolled over. He heard Grandpa move down the hall and knock on Kenshin's door. 

"Kenshin! You need to wake up and get ready for school." 

"Hai," came the muffled reply. 

Yugi slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the bright light coming in through his window. He sat up and reached for the Puzzle on the corner of his desk. His hand hit something, pushing it off the desk. Yugi looked down to see what had fallen off the desk. It was the Glory of the King's Other Hand that he had taken from Kenshin's pants pocket the night before. Everything that had happened last night all came back to Yugi in a rush. He grabbed the Millennium Puzzle, dropping it around his neck, as he hurried down to the kitchen. Grandpa, who was just starting breakfast, looked up as Yugi entered. 

"Grandpa, how's Ryou?" Yugi asked. 

"He's fine. He actually woke up on the way to the hospital. The doctors examined him and he only had a minor blow to the head. He doesn't really remember what happened, so the doctors believed that he was mugged," Grandpa explained. Yugi was ecstatic. 

"He woke up?!" \Ya hear that, Yami?! Ryou woke up! He still has his soul! Do you still think Kenshin attacked him?!\ Yugi asked, confidant of Yami's answer. 

\\Yes.\\ 

\What?!\ Yugi exclaimed, incredulously. 

\\Shadow magic was used, Yugi. Kenshin is the only other person in Domino City with a Millennium Item, and therefore, by default, the only other person capable of using shadow magic\\ Yami explained. 

\That's all very logical, Yami, but it doesn't make any sense! Ryou still has his soul, so Kenshin obviously didn't banish him to the Shadow Realm. What do you say Kenshin's motives are, then? Why would Kenshin attack Ryou? Why would Kenshin attack anyone, for that matter? He's still injured, as it is!\ Yugi said, thinking back to the bloody bandages he'd seen in the bathroom the night before. 

\\He's still the only other person who has a Mill-\\ 

\In case you forgot, Yami, we don't know where either the Ring or the Eye ended up, after Duelist Kingdom. And we haven't even found the Rod or the Tauk! What makes you think that someone with one of those Items isn't here? Why do you automatically blame Kenshin?!\ Yugi asked, vehemently. 

Grandpa saved Yami from having to reply. "Yugi, I realize that you were worried about Ryou, but you can't stare off into space all morning. You need to get go get ready for school, young man," Grandpa said, sternly. 

Yugi blinked at Grandpa, then looked at the clock on the wall. "Ah! I'm gonna be late!" With that, he dashed up the stairs to his room, the previous conversation with Yami all but forgotten. 

~*~ 

There was a knock on Kenshin's door. "Kenshin! You need to wake up and get ready for school," came Grandpa's voice. 

"Hai," Kenshin acknowledged. 

Truth be told, Kenshin had already been up for an hour or so. He was usually an early riser, and was used to getting little sleep. He'd stayed in his room, so as to avoid waking anyone else up on accident. Now, apparently, everyone else was up, so Kenshin decided to take a quick shower and change his bandages again. He was about to open his door, when he heard Yugi rush downstairs. He opened his door, looking after him. 

_Wonder what that was about?_ Kenshin thought, as he walked to the bathroom. 

Ten minutes later, Kenshin emerged with a towel wrapped around himself. He had changed his bandages in the bathroom, but had forgotten his clothes. The wound in his left side had stopped bleeding and was starting to close again. _Now, I just have to be careful not to do anything to aggravate it too much--or let anyone else close enough to do that,_ he thought, dryly, remembering the accident with Joey the previous day. Just then, Yugi came running back up the stairs, almost running over Kenshin on his way back to his room. 

//What is with him this morning?!// Battousai asked, annoyed. 

/I really don't know,/ Kenshin replied, also a little miffed. He entered his room and donned his school uniform. He put on his trench coat, and carefully hid his katana inside. /Don't know why I'm bringing this. I can't use it, if I want my body to heal,/ Kenshin said, absently. 

//Better safe than sorry. Bet you're glad that I suggested to bring it yesterday, huh?// Battousai said, loftily. //You really should listen to my advice more often.// 

/Suggested? More like begged. As for your advice, I'll pass. I would rather not kill any more people./ 

//They deserved it!// Battousai said, defending himself. 

/You just need to learn to control your temper. You can't even remember why you wanted to kill half of those people, can you?/ 

//...// 

/That's what I thought. What would you do without me?/ Kenshin said, smiling. 

//I guess that's why you're my other half, then, isn't it? But, by the same token, you should listen to me more, as well...// 

/Do I really have a choice in the matter?/ 

//Fine, then. Perhaps I'll just let you deal with people who want to send you to the Shadow Realm alone, from now on,// Battousai said, testily. 

Kenshin laughed. /Gomen. By the way, how hard did you hit Ryou last night?/ 

//Not that hard. Just enough to knock him out for about a half hour or so, enough time for us to get away. I didn't want to hit him too hard because I would've caused more damage to our wounds. We're lucky that only one reopened as it is,// Battousai replied, seriously. 

/Hai, and we're going to have to be careful. We can't get into another position like last night--at least until our wounds have healed enough for us to fight semi-decently./ Kenshin's stomach growled. /But for now, I think we should go and get some breakfast./ 

~*~ 

At school, Kenshin, Yugi and his friends were sitting together, waiting for the teacher to arrive and start class. Yugi kept glancing at the door, as if waiting for someone to show up. 

"Who are ya lookin' for, Yug?" Joey asked, as Yugi looked towards the door for the hundredth time. 

"I'm wondering if Ryou is gonna show up." 

"Why wouldn't he show up?" Tea asked. 

"Well, while I was walking home last night, I found him unconscious in an alley," Yugi explained. 

"What?!" they all cried in unison. 

Yami was paying close attention to Kenshin's reaction. Fortunately, Kenshin looked as shocked as everyone else, but for a different reason. 

/How did Yugi know? Didn't we have to back-track from the alley to get back to the Game Shop?/ Kenshin asked his yami. 

//Yes, Bakura led us four or five blocks past it,// Battousai confirmed. 

/Then, if Yugi was walking home from the arcade, how did he find Ryou in that alley? How could he have possibly known where to look?/ Kenshin asked. 

//The only answer I can come up with is that Yugi knew where to go. He and Bakura probably set it up ahead of time,// Battousai said, instantly suspicious. 

/That's absurd. We left early, remember? When could they have possibly set it up?/ 

//It's possible that Joey did not hit us on accident. Would you normally hit a friend that hard? And that was the main reason we wanted to leave early,// Battousai replied. 

/Okay, now you're just getting paranoid,/ Kenshin said. /Feel their auras. Besides, Bakura said that he wanted to steal the Puzzle from Yugi. Why would they be helping each other?/ 

//Well, how else do you explain it, then?// Battousai demanded, hotly. 

/I don't know, but I feel I can trust Yugi./ 

//Trust will only get you killed. The only person you can really trust is yourself. Did you learn nothing from the Bakumatsu? Why do you think Tomoe is dead?!// Battousai said, referring to Idzuka. 

/Because I made the mistake of trusting myself./ 

Battousai paused. He still wished desperately that he could go back and change what had happened that day. In a way Kenshin was right, but Battousai wasn't about to admit that. It was much easier to become angry and defensive, than to admit one was wrong. //Fine. Do as you please, then. But don't expect me to help you, when that trust is betrayed!// Battousai yelled, before breaking the link. 

Kenshin sighed, mentally. He hadn't meant it to sound that harsh. Battousai was now mad at him with good reason, but Kenshin couldn't deal with it right now. It was better to let him cool off before trying to apologize, anyway. Kenshin tuned back into the conversation around him as Joey asked him a question. 

"Did you see what happened?" 

It took Kenshin a second to realize what they were talking about. "No, Ryou walked with me to the Game Shop, but said that he had to get home and left." 

Just then, Ryou walked in. He took a seat near the door, but before they could even walk over to him, the teacher entered and started class. They would have to wait until lunch to talk to Ryou. 

~*~ 

Lunch found everyone gathered at a table in the cafeteria, asking Ryou what happened. 

"I'm not sure," Ryou admitted. " I remember walking to the Game Shop with Kenshin. We were about a block away, I think. Then-" he shrugged his shoulders, "I woke up in the ambulance. Mr. Mutou said that Yugi had found me unconscious in an alley. I really have no idea what happened." Ryou looked then at Yugi, as if trying to tell him something. Yugi looked confused, but nodded slightly. 

Kenshin listened to Ryou, his face expressionless. He could tell that Ryou was lying. It was obvious to those who knew what to look for. Ryou refused to make eye contact and he was fidgeting and shifting in his seat. His aura also showed that he was hiding something. Kenshin didn't miss the glance, nor the nod between Yugi and Ryou. Ryou would undoubtedly tell Yugi the whole story, later. Was Kenshin really so wrong in listening to his instincts and trusting Yugi? 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**Chapter 9**

After school, Kenshin walked home by himself. Joey and Tristan had detention again (who would've thought that Mr. Tsunioko wore a toupee?) and Tea had dance class. Yugi was planning on walking Kenshin home and then going to meet Ryou, but Kenshin, needing time to think, had declined, insisting that he knew his way home. Yugi finally relented (Kenshin would have to walk home by himself sometime) and left with Ryou. Kenshin decided to take a round-a-bout way home, to familiarize himself with the city. While he was walking, he noticed a dojo. 

//You know, we haven't practiced in awhile,// Battousai said, trying to keep the eagerness out of his voice. 

Kenshin stopped walking, and looked at the dojo. /While my injuries need time to heal, I still need to keep my skills sharp. Let's at least have a look around,/ Kenshin agreed, walking up to the door and knocking on it. A short blonde woman with small glasses in front of gray eyes answered the door. "May I help you?" she inquired. 

"I'm new in town and I noticed your dojo while passing by. I was wondering if you'd be kind enough to let me practice in your dojo for a little bit," Kenshin explained. 

The woman looked at a clipboard that she was carrying. "Normally, we don't let anyone use the dojo who is not a member, but since there are no groups in there now, I don't see why not. Follow me," she said, as she turned and walked into the courtyard. Kenshin followed her in, shutting the door behind him. 

Meanwhile, Yugi and Ryou had gone to the park. There weren't that many people there and they could talk freely. They sat at a picnic table across from each other. They were both silent for a few minutes, until Yugi spoke up. 

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Yugi asked, a bit apprehensively. Yami was listening intently as well. 

"Well, like I told you guys earlier, I don't remember what happened. But I don't think that it was a mere mugging incident because I found this when I changed my clothes last night," Ryou said. He reached beneath his sweater and pulled out a ring that had several spikes hanging off of it. Inside of the ring, was a triangle with an Egyptian eye in the middle of it. It was made entirely of gold. 

"The Millennium Ring! But, where did you get it? I thought you didn't want it!" Yugi exclaimed, confused. Yami was also confused. _Didn't Tristan say that he had thrown it away? And why would Ryou even go **looking** for it?_ Yami wondered. 

"I'm not sure myself. But, I don't think that I can get rid of it. I've already tried." As if to prove it to them, Ryou took off the ring and threw it as hard and as far as he could. They couldn't see where it landed. After a moment, Ryou reached under his sweater again, and pulled out the Millennium Ring. "I just can't get rid of it. No matter what I do, it always comes back, like someone is refusing to let it leave me," Ryou replied, sullenly. 

Yugi pondered this new turn of events, and then he had a thought. /Yami, could Bakura be returning the Ring to Ryou?/ Yugi asked. 

//I suppose so// Yami said, slowly. 

/But, if that's true, could you do the same thing with the Puzzle? If I threw the Puzzle away, could you return it to me?/ 

//I think it depends on whether or not I was willing to leave you. If right now, for example, you threw the Puzzle with my consent, I don't think that I could bring it back to you. But, if the Puzzle was taken from you or you gave it away without my consent, I think that I could return the Puzzle to it's most recent owner, which would be you. However, if you give the Puzzle to someone else with my consent and then they steal it, I don't think that I would be able to return to you,// Yami explained. 

Ryou waited for Yugi to finish his conversation. "What does Yami think?" he asked. 

"Yami says that it's probably because Bakura doesn't want to leave you, and that's why you can't get rid of the Ring. He keeps bringing it back," Yugi said, summarizing Yami's explanation. 

Ryou sighed. "I thought it would be something like that. But the question remains: What did he do? Kenshin got home all right, so I don't think Bakura did anything to him, but what happened? What was he trying to do and who or what stopped him? I don't know of anyone who could sneak up on the tomb raider, but the only injury I have is a bump on the back of my head. There wasn't a fight, no shadow powers because it's obvious that I lost, and Yami is the only other one who can use them--" 

Yugi interrupted Ryou. "Actually, Kenshin has the Millennium Mask. I'm surprised you didn't notice it, but it's obvious that Bakura did. Also, shadow powers _were_ used. That's how I found you. Yami sensed the magic and we came to investigate," Yugi explained. 

Ryou looked a little surprised. "Kenshin has shadow powers as well?" 

"Actually, we're not sure. He hasn't said anything about Millennium Items at all, and he hasn't done anything to arouse suspicion. I'm not sure if he realizes what he has. I think he has a yami, 'cause I walked in on him in the hospital and he was all zoned out, but that could have been just the medication, so I really don't know. _I_ think that we can trust him, but Yami is of the opposite opinion. Yami is adamant that it was Kenshin who attacked you," Yugi explained, sullenly. 

"Well, it was after I'd passed the Game Shop. Is there any other proof that it was Kenshin?" Ryou asked. He liked Kenshin, and would rather have another friend than a potentially dangerous enemy. 

Yugi pulled out Ryou's Glory of the King's Opposite Hand card. "He had this when he came back last night. I found it in his jeans pocket. He doesn't even have a duel deck, so I don't think it's his. Do you still have yours?" Yugi asked, hoping that the card was Ryou's. 

Ryou pulled out his deck, and flipped through it. He didn't play with the card in his desk, but he did keep all his cards together. "Actually, I think that card may be mine, but why don't you keep it. I don't want to give Bakura something to help steal souls with," Ryou said, handing the card back to Yugi. Yugi put it back in his pocket. 

"Okay, so Kenshin was with Bakura. Bakura tried to use this card on Kenshin, but that failed and Kenshin took the card, knocking Bakura out. How? Bakura, even without his shadow powers, is gonna be tough to beat. His skills as a tomb raider aren't just stealth. He's a pretty good fighter, too. And besides that, Kenshin is injured! I think Joey might have reopened the wound in his side when he punched him," Yugi said. It just didn't make sense. 

By now, it was late afternoon. Deciding that they wouldn't be able to figure anything else out at this point, they turned and left the park, each going their separate ways. 

Kenshin followed the woman across the courtyard and into the main dojo. 

"You may practice in here. The bokkens are on the wall--" she pointed, "and just make sure everything is put back when you leave." With that, she turned and left Kenshin alone in the room. Deciding that it would be better to practice with a bokken (there would be awkward questions if someone walked in on him practicing with a real katana) he placed his trench coat and katana on the floor by one of the walls, carefully concealing his katana underneath the coat. He then walked over to the bokkens and picked one to practice with. 

/These are light... But it doesn't matter. I'm just testing my flexibility, anyway./ 

Kenshin got into his beginning stance. He closed his eyes, relaxing himself, and slowed his breathing. He pushed everything to the back of his mind as he focused on the bokken in his hand. He opened his eyes and began his practice. Normally, he would use his speed and strength while executing these moves, but today they were slow. He wanted to see how his wounds reacted when he used his attacks. Although the moves were slow, they did not lack any of the power he normally put into them. They were slow and controlled, allowing him to better estimate what using these moves in a battle would do to his wounds. His body flowed smoothly, going flawlessly from one attack into the next. He moved gracefully with each attack, focusing only on his bokken and his wounds' responses. It wasn't until after he had finished that he realized that someone else had entered the room. He cursed himself for his lack of awareness--such a mistake would have cost him his life a few weeks ago. A man, half a head taller than Kenshin, was standing in the doorway, just staring at Kenshin. The man had a well-toned body and a strong presence of ki, obviously a good fighter, and probably the master of this dojo. He wore loose clothes, to allow for freedom of movement, and he carried himself as a swordsman. He bowed to Kenshin in apology. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to interrupt you when I came in. You've obviously had a lot of training. Your form was perfect, the moves flowed, it was poetry in motion," the man said, straightening up. He walked forward and introduced himself. "My name is Fujita, Kiyni Fujita. I'm the master of this dojo," He said, bowing again. 

_That's what I thought._ Aloud he said, "Kenshin Himura." He returned the bow. 

"You've got a lot of talent. What style is that? I've never seen anything like it before," Fujita asked, intrigued. 

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu," Kenshin replied. 

"Well, if you ever need a place to practice, feel free to use my dojo. Normally, you'd have to be a member, but I've never seen any style as impressive as yours, and that's saying something, so I'll let you use it for free, as thanks." 

Kenshin was a bit surprised at this unexpected turn of events. "Arigatou." //Impressive? He hasn't even seen the speed at which they are executed!// Battousai laughed. Kenshin glanced out the window. The sun had dropped in the sky while he had been practicing, and Grandpa would start to worry, if he didn't get back. "It's getting late. I must be leaving now." Kenshin said, bowing. "I thank you for the use of your dojo." With that, he turned to leave. 

"Hey, wait a minute! There's a kendo tournament this Saturday. They hold one every year, and it's open to anyone who wants to test their swordsmanship. The first place winner gets 50,000 yen and the runner up gets 25,000 yen. Are you interested?" 

Kenshin turned back around. "A tournament? It sounds interesting. Where can I find out more about this?" he inquired. 

Fujita pointed to a table that Kenshin hadn't noticed before, just to the left of the doors leading to the courtyard. "There are flyers on the table. You can take one your way out. Well, I'll see ya around, Kenshin." Having said that, Fujita disappeared back into the dojo. Kenshin, not exactly sure as to what a _flyer_ was, walked over to the table. There was a stack of blue papers that seemed to be advertising the tournament. Kenshin took one. /These must be what he was talking about. _Flyers_... I don't know where they came up with all these strange words,/ Kenshin said, shaking his head. 

//Who knows. But what does it say about the tournament?// Battousai sounded like a child on Christmas morning. 

/This tournament is for anyone who wants to participate, regardless of age. They even have a junior division for kids. It's on this Saturday. It starts at 9:00, and it's probably an all day event. Last year's champion, one Seto Kaiba, will be defending his title. Oh, you won't like this, there are no real swords allowed, only bokkens and shinai.../ Kenshin said, skimming the paper. 

//I'll beat him using a bokken, then,// Battousai said, smirking. 

/You're assuming that we are going,/ Kenshin put in. 

//Oh, come on, Kenshin, you know you want to fight as badly as I do. Don't worry, I won't kill anyone--they'd probably disqualify us anyway. I need a challenge!// Battousai was practically begging. 

/I doubt there would be anyone challenging for us to fight there, but I'm not the person you have to worry about. It's Grandpa. We just got out of the hospital two weeks ago. Do you honestly believe that he's going to let us participate?/ 

//So don't tell him. Problem solved.// 

/I'm not going to lie to him./ 

//I didn't say lie. Tell him you're going to go watch the kendo tournament, which is true. You'll just be fighting in some of the matches you watch.// 

/We'll see,/ Kenshin said, folding up the paper. He retrieved his sword and coat from where he had left them by the wall, placing the flyer inside his coat pocket and started walking home. 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**Chapter 10**

Yugi was walking home from the park, deep in thought. The situation was just becoming more and more complicated. Bakura was back and that meant trouble for everyone, but mainly him. And then there was Kenshin... Yami didn't trust him at all, but Yugi couldn't help but feel that Kenshin was with them, not against them. But, what had happened in the alley? Why did Kenshin not tell him? Of course, saying he was attacked by someone that Yugi obviously trusted was not something most people could do. Maybe Yugi would ask Kenshin about it later. Of course, having lied the first time, why would he not lie the second time? 

It was then that Yugi, not paying attention where he was going, ran into the figure of his thoughts. "Oh, excuse me, I wasn't looking where I was going," Yugi said, bowing quickly. 

"It's alright, Yugi," said a familiar voice. Yugi straightened up, looking at--Kenshin. "Kenshin! What are you doing here? You should have gotten home a while ago! You didn't get lost, did you?!" Yugi asked, feeling extremely guilty for letting Kenshin go off on his own. 

"No, Yugi, I am not lost. I decided to do a little exploring and try to get to know my way around town. I was just on my way home," Kenshin explained, smiling. 

"Oh, okay," Yugi said, not feeling quite as bad. The two resumed walking towards the game shop. Yugi noticed a piece of paper sticking out of Kenshin's coat pocket. "What's that?" he asked, pointing. 

Kenshin pulled the piece of paper out of his back pocket and handed it to Yugi. Yugi took it and unfolded it. "Oh, it's a flyer for the tournament. I never was any good at kendo myself--just not built for it. Are you interested in attending?" Yugi asked, curiously. 

"I would very much like to participate, but there is a slight problem," Kenshin said. 

"Oh?" 

"I don't believe that Grandpa will let me attend, due to my injuries," Kenshin said, sighing. 

Yugi had to agree with his Grandpa on this one. If Kenshin's wounds were still bleeding, then he shouldn't be out fighting. "Yeah, he's really strict about that sort of stuff," Yugi said, hoping to discourage Kenshin from trying. 

"However, I feel fine. My injuries are healing nicely, and won't get re-opened at the tournament. I'll make sure of that," Kenshin said. He sounded like he was going, despite what anyone said. 

"How do you know you won't re-open any of your wounds?" Yugi argued. 

"Swordsmanship is my forte. I'm untouchable." Kenshin did not say this arrogantly, just as if he was stating a fact that had been established long ago. Which it had, but Yugi didn't know that. 

"That scar on your cheek says otherwise. How'd you get that, anyway?" Yugi asked, curiously. 

Kenshin put his hand to his cheek, his eyes filled with great sorrowed anguish and pain. Yugi was sorry he'd asked, but Kenshin masked his emotions and the look was gone as quickly as it had come. "This was two mistakes I made when I was younger. Neither of those will be repeated," Kenshin said in a cold voice that sent shivers down Yugi's spine. It seemed, however, that Kenshin's anger was not directed at Yugi, but at himself. 

"At any rate, I highly doubt anyone at the tournament will be able to harm me," Kenshin said, steering the conversation away from the tangent it had taken. 

Yugi sighed. If he couldn't stop him, he might as well help. "Well, I guess we can tell Grandpa that we're gonna be hanging out with the guys on Saturday," Yugi said. 

Kenshin's eyes widened slightly in confusion. "We?" he asked. 

"Yeah, I gotta go to get you out of whatever trouble you're gonna get into in that tournament," Yugi said. 

Kenshin smiled. "Arigatou, Yugi," he said. 

Yugi shrugged. "We just have to tell everyone not to go to the shop asking for us, or Grandpa'll have our hides for sure!" 

Kenshin was too preoccupied anticipating the tournament to notice the ki of the man walking up behind him. Suddenly, someone grabbed Kenshin around the waist from behind and put a knife to his neck. "If you give me the pretty gold necklaces that you both are wearing, then no one will get hurt," a voice sneered into Kenshin's ear. 

Kenshin was seething. That's twice that he'd been surprised by someone in one day! He was beginning to wonder how he'd ever managed to survive the Bakumatsu! Had he really gotten that soft in only three weeks of peace?! 

Yugi felt helpless. He wanted to help Kenshin, but there was nothing he could do. Yami could use his shadow magic, but not without hurting Kenshin as well. So, he just watched, hoping that Kenshin could get himself out of it. 

Neither Kenshin nor Yugi had moved, and so the man made his demand again, pressing the blade into Kenshin's neck to emphasize his point. A small trickle of blood ran down Kenshin's neck. 

Kenshin's hair was in his eyes, so no one noticed as they shifted from a soft violet to a hard amber. This man had not only dared to attack him, but he had dared to draw his blood. This enraged the hitokiri. //I will kill him,// Battousai said, furious. 

/No, don't. Yugi is still here,/ Kenshin reminded him. 

//Then get rid of him,// Battousai said relinquishing control to Kenshin. 

Kenshin looked up at Yugi. "Yugi, you go on ahead, I'll meet up with you at home," he said, smiling. Both Yugi and his attacker stared at him. 

"What are you smiling about?!" Kenshin's assailant demanded. This kid was starting to scare him. Most normal people would be scared to death at this point. But this red-haired boy in front of him was acting like he was in control of the situation. Only two kinds of people act like that: people who are insane and don't know better, and people who actually are in control. One look at his eyes told the man that this kid wasn't insane, and he began to worry about what the kid knew that he did not. 

Yugi looked at Kenshin and saw that he had a plan, but in order for it to work, Yugi could not be present. Yugi thought of his options. There wasn't anything he could do for Kenshin, if he stayed, but if he could run through the alleys and come up behind them, then... Deciding on this course of action, Yugi took off running. He'd have to get there fast, before this guy dragged Kenshin off to who knows where. 

Battousai, seeing Yugi disappear around the corner re-emerged, taking control of Kenshin's body once again. 

"Your friend left you here to die, eh? That's loyalty for ya..." the man said, trying to shake the feeling that something was about to happen that he would not like one bit. A low, deadly voice split the air. "Now it's time for the real fun to begin." 

It took the man a minute to realize that the voice had come from the child he held at knife point. "And just what do you mean by that, kid?" the man asked, trying to keep his voice from shaking. This kid was really starting to freak him out. Kenshin, however, didn't need to hear the quivering in his voice. He could feel in the man's aura that he was afraid. Now was the time to act. 

Kenshin's arms, which had remained at his sides the entire time, suddenly came to life. His left hand grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it, forcing the blade a little deeper into his neck before the knife was released. Kenshin's right elbow went back hard into the man's stomach, making him fall to his knees as the knife clattered on the ground in front of him. Kenshin calmly walked forward and then turned around to face him. The man grabbed his knife and raised it menacingly only to have it fall from his hand as he looked into the child's eyes, his glowing _amber_ eyes. He just stared, looking into eyes that seemed to sear through his very soul, sending chills down his spine and promising a very slow and very painful death. Kenshin just stood there, looking down upon his would-be assailant coolly. The man, as hard as he tried, found it impossible to break his eyes away from the amber gaze of this boy. Those eyes seemed to suggest different ways to kill him, each one more brutal and horrifying than the last, being played out in his mind's eye. Although Kenshin was doing nothing to the man physically, mentally, he was causing the man to lose his mind. Normally Kenshin couldn't do this on his own, but the combination of several things, most prominently being the man's own stark terror, was causing the previously weak-minded man to go insane. Battousai had no qualms about this fate, and refused to break the eye contact that was pushing this man over the edge. The man had started mumbling incoherently, but Battousai would catch a word here and there. "No...stop... (mumble mumble) ...please... (mumble mumble) ..." The volume of the man's voice was slowly increasing, but he was becoming more incoherent. 

Suddenly, Yugi rounded the corner behind the man, hoping Kenshin hadn't been hurt. The scene in front of him was definitely not what he was expecting. The man was kneeling on the ground, a few feet in front of Kenshin with the knife on the ground in front of him. Kenshin, was standing in front of the man, about four feet away, with one hand on his throat to help stop the bleeding. They were just staring at each other. 

\Yami, do you know what's going on?\ Yugi asked, uncertainly. 

\\I really do not know, aibou. I sense no shadow magic, but I see no reason why neither of them are attacking,\\ Yami replied, equally baffled by this behavior. Yugi started walking towards them, accidentally kicking a rock as he went. 

Kenshin looked up at the noise, his eyes switching back to violet. The man, finding himself released from the demon's eyes, took off running in the opposite direction, screaming incoherently. Yami tensed, ready to take over and defend Yugi, if need be, but the man just pushed past him and kept running, not daring to look back for fear of those piercing amber eyes. 

Yugi stared after him. "What happened?" Yugi asked, turning to Kenshin. 

Kenshin had an evil smirk on his face, but it disappeared so quickly that Yugi wasn't sure if he'd really seen it at all. "I'm not sure, Yugi. I managed to get out of his grasp, and then he just stared at me. I'm not sure what happened," Kenshin said, looking equally confused. Kenshin looked towards the sun that was starting to dip below the horizon. "We'd better get going. More shady characters are out at night, and I would rather avoid any more encounters with them. Besides, Grandpa'll be wondering where we are as it is. And, could we please not tell him about this? I don't want him to worry. He fusses enough about my injuries as it is," Kenshin said, a bit ruefully. He didn't want people to be worried about him. 

Yugi nodded. Grandpa would probably forbid them from going anywhere besides school and home, if he found out about this. "But, it's gonna be hard to hide that cut," Yugi pointed out. 

"Not really. Since it's on the side of my neck, I just have to do this." Kenshin pulled his hair tie out of his hair and shook it out, running his fingers through it. He then pulled some of it in front of his shoulder, covering the cut. It was a bit of a feminine way to wear his hair, but it served it's purpose. 

"I guess that'll work. Well, we'd better get going before anyone else comes," Yugi said, looking around. Kenshin nodded, and they headed home. 

~*~ 

When they arrived home, Grandpa noticed the change in Kenshin's hair. 

"Kenshin, wasn't your hair up when you left this morning?" Grandpa inquired. 

Kenshin had prepared an excuse, just in case. "Hai, but because it's so long, it occasionally gives me headaches, so I take it down," Kenshin explained. 

Grandpa nodded. "Well, anyway, dinner should be ready in about half an hour," he said, returning to the kitchen. 

Kenshin went up to the bathroom to clean the cut on his neck. It wasn't very deep, but the blood stood out against his pale skin. /I guess I'll have to wear my hair down for awhile,/ Kenshin said. 

//Aww, you look so cute that way. Maybe you could curl it and start wearing make-up, too,// Battousai said, snickering. 

/Shut up. Besides, you're me, so you look the same way,/ Kenshin shot back. Battousai had no comeback for that one. 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**Chapter 11**

The next day, Kenshin felt something as he and Yugi entered the classroom. Someone in there had very strong ki. Looking around, he pinpointed which person exuded this aura. It was a brown-haired boy sitting in the back of the class. He wore a purple trench coat over his school uniform, and was sitting there with a mixed expression of boredom and annoyance on his face. He seemed to think that attending school was beneath him, which might explain his absence the past two days. Yugi noticed that Kenshin had stopped in the doorway, and walked back to him. 

"You alright?" Yugi asked. 

Kenshin nodded. "Who's that? I haven't seen him before," Kenshin said, pointing to the boy. 

Yugi looked where Kenshin was pointing. "That's Kaiba. He's the president of Kaiba Corporations, and so he doesn't always have time to attend school, but he comes as often as he can," Yugi explained. 

Kenshin nodded. "He's a good fighter," he stated absently, talking more to himself than to Yugi. 

Yugi looked a little confused. "What do you mean by that?" 

"Sorry," Kenshin said, quickly covering his mistake. "On the flyer for the tournament, it said that the defending champion was named _Seto Kaiba_. That person over there, the one you called Kaiba, looks like he could be the champion. I was merely wondering if they were indeed one and the same." 

"I don't know. I didn't know Kaiba was into kendo. Let's go and ask him," Yugi said, pulling Kenshin to the back of the class. 

"Well, if it isn't little Yugi and his short friend. Where's the mutt, did you finally ship him off to the pound?" Kaiba asked, smirking. 

Yugi ignored his comments. "Kaiba, this is Kenshin. He's staying with me and Grandpa for awhile--" Yugi started, before he was interrupted by Kaiba. 

"Why do I care who this nobody is?" Kaiba said, scathingly. 

"And," Yugi continued as if he'd never been interrupted, "we were wondering if you were the one who won the kendo tournament last year," Yugi finished. 

Kaiba smirked. "Yeah, that was me. What of it? You taking up kendo now, Yugi?" 

Kenshin surprised them both by suddenly bowing to Kaiba. "It will be a pleasure to fight with you in the tournament on Saturday," Kenshin said, straightening up with a smile. 

Kaiba just looked at him like he was stupid. "You're fighting in the tournament? Don't make me laugh! A little girlie boy like you? It takes strength to win a kendo tournament! A short, scrawny boy like you wouldn't last two seconds! Why don't you save yourself a lot of embarrassment and not show up at all!" Kaiba said, standing up to his full height, which was a head above Kenshin, and looking down at him disdainfully. 

//Oh, I am so gonna enjoy shutting his big mouth!// Battousai said, with glee. 

Kenshin returned Kaiba's gaze calmly, not at all intimidated. "Being smaller and lighter makes me faster and more agile. I think you will be surprised at my abilities," Kenshin replied, still smiling. 

"Whatever. If you want to get beaten to a bloody pulp, so be it. Not my business," Kaiba said, sitting back down. 

Just then the teacher entered the classroom, so Yugi and Kenshin quickly found their seats, and class began. 

~*~ 

At lunch, Yugi had managed to slip away from his friends to talk privately with Ryou. They were sitting outside the cafeteria, in the shadow of a tree. It was the beginning of the lunch period, so not many people had come outside yet. Ryou looked at Yugi curiously. 

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Ryou inquired. 

Yugi was absently plucking blades of grass from the ground. "Last night, after I left the park, I met up with Kenshin on my way home. While we were walking, someone came and put a knife to Kenshin's neck, trying to rob us. There was nothing Yami could do to help, because he couldn't use his shadow powers without hitting Kenshin. Kenshin told me to run, and he'd meet up with me when he got home. He seemed really confident, even smiling, as if nothing was wrong! I did take off, but I came back around the block, to try and get behind them. It only took a few minutes, but when I came around the corner, the guy was kneeling on the ground. Kenshin was standing in front of him, a few feet away. They were just staring at each other. I think Kenshin was doing something to him because when Kenshin broke eye contact, the man took off running in the opposite direction, screaming. But, Yami couldn't sense any shadow powers. We can't figure out what happened. I asked Kenshin, but he says he doesn't know. I don't entirely believe that to be true, but there's no way that we can force the answer out of him," Yugi explained, looking at Ryou. 

Ryou looked thoughtful. "Well, I'm not sure what to make of that. Apparently, Kenshin is more powerful than we gave him credit for. However, I don't think that he is our enemy. I mean, that guy had a knife to his throat, and Bakura was probably trying to seal his soul and steal his body. I was wondering what happened to his neck," Ryou said, making a reference to the cut on Kenshin's neck. Kenshin had tied his hair back at the base of his neck once he had gotten to school (after Kaiba's comment about looking 'girlie'). "As for not remembering, it's possible that he doesn't know he has a yami that takes over his body on occasion," Ryou suggested. 

"I guess you're right. Yami's still a little wary, but he hasn't threatened us in any way. It's kinda nice to have more allies than enemies," Yugi said, smiling. 

"Yes. Well, we'd better get back inside before the others start to wonder where we are," Ryou said, rising to his feet and helping Yugi up. They made their way back inside the cafeteria. 

Just as Kenshin was the only one who noticed their exit, he was the only one who noticed their return. Tristan and Joey were busy arguing about some unimportant subject, while Tea was busy trying to play the peacemaker. Kenshin had stopped listening to their meaningless conversation. 

Ryou and Yugi walked up to the table, taking their seats quietly. They both seemed relieved. A tough decision had finally been made and an agreement reached between the two. Kenshin wasn't sure if this boded well for him. 

~*~ 

After school, Kenshin decided to go to the library and find out what happened after he left the Bakumatsu. Yugi accompanied him, and showed Kenshin how to look up things on the computer before leaving Kenshin to study privately. 

Kenshin found out that Toba Fushimi had indeed been the last battle. Yamagata had risen up to become the general commanding all of Japan's armed forces, and had died after he retired. Katsura had died shortly after the Bakumatsu ended, and Okubo had been assassinated in the eleventh year of the Meiji. Deciding to see what had become of his foes, Kenshin looked up the Shinsengumi. Okita had succumbed to his sickness shortly after the Bakumatsu, but Saito changed his name to Goro Fujita and started working for the Meiji government as a police officer. Kenshin chuckled at that--Saito working for the very government he'd tried so hard to keep from rising to power. But... 

/Fujita? Why does that name sound familiar?/ Kenshin asked his darker half. 

//Beats me.// Battousai was not very helpful. 

Kenshin decided to read some more about what happened to his old nemesis. 

"After the Bakumatsu, Goro and Tokio Fujita stayed in Kyoto until 1889, when they moved to a smaller province to live out the rest of their lives in a peaceful setting." 

//Wait a minute--Tokio Fujita? Saito was MARRIED?!// Battousai exclaimed. 

/It appears so,/ Kenshin said, equally surprised. /Who would've thought?/ 

Kenshin continued reading. 

"There, Goro's son, Kenshin Fujita, started a dojo, teaching Mizoguchi Haiitou Ryu." 

/Wait just a minute. Kenshin Fujita? He named his SON after me?!/ Kenshin exclaimed, thoroughly shocked. 

Battousai laughed. //Apparently, he thought very highly of us. Probably wanted his son to be as good a swordsman as we are,// Battousai said, still chuckling. 

"The dojo was very successful, and is still teaching kendo today in Domino City." 

/That's it! Fujita! Kiyni Fujita, the master of that dojo. That means...I'm practicing my kendo in Saito's dojo. How can it get any more ironic than that?!/ 

Kenshin got up. He knew that everyone he had ever met had died long ago, but it was still depressing to read about it. That, coupled with all the surprises he'd received from Saito, caused Kenshin to decide that he'd had enough for one day. His mind was a bit overwhelmed at all the discoveries, and he needed a nice, long workout to clear his head. He started walking to the dojo. 

The same woman answered the door when he arrived. She recognized him as the _special case_ Master Fujita had told her about and let him in without question. 

Kenshin walked to the main dojo and, seeing it empty, placed his coat and katana by the wall, picked a bokken, and started his routine. He had determined yesterday that he could use all of his attacks at full strength without re-opening his wounds, but now he needed to see if the speed at which they were executed would cause a problem. He started out slowly at first, then sped up, gaining momentum as he went. He was a blur as he slashed and parried, dodged and attacked imaginary foes. After a few minutes, he sensed Fujita walking down the hallway, and slowed his speed down to that of a normal man's. No reason to give a possible sparring partner more displays of his ability. Kenshin stopped completely when Fujita entered the dojo. 

"Don't want me to watch, eh?" Fujita said, jokingly. 

"Actually, I was wondering if you would spar with me," Kenshin asked, sounding more like a statement. 

Fujita was a little taken back by the request, but he soon recovered. "It would be my pleasure," he said, walking over and choosing a bokken with which to fight. "I'm not going to go easy on you," Fujita warned. 

Kenshin smirked. "I don't expect you to. Begin." With that, Kenshin rushed forward at a slow pace to him, fast to normal people, and attacked. Fujita parried the blow, and it began. They both exchanged blows, neither managing to hit anything but the other's bokken. Kenshin was slowly increasing the speed of his attacks. He wanted to know just how much of the Mizoguchi Haiitou had changed--for the better or worse. Fujita kept pace with him, slowly increasing his speed as well. Their bokkens met with a loud clack, and they stood locked together, neither one of them relenting. As if by some unseen signal, they both jumped apart, each landing and studying the other. 

Fujita smiled. "You're very good, my boy. But let's see how well you handle this." Fujita sank into the stance for the Gatoutsu. 

//Here it comes.// 

Fujita lunged forward towards Kenshin, expecting to catch him slightly off guard. Kenshin jumped up to avoid it, but Fujita changed to a Gatoutsu that stabbed upwards. Kenshin managed to avoid it, but Fujita changed again to a sweeping side attack, hitting Kenshin's left side hard and sending him crashing into a wall. Kenshin slowly stood up, eyes closed, with his left hand clutching his side, and his breathing ragged. His hair tie had snapped when he hit the wall and his hair fell forward, hiding most of his face. He took a moment to calm his breathing and let the pain subside somewhat. Fujita was about to suggest they quit for the day when Kenshin opened his eyes. 

"Let's go," Kenshin said, rushing to attack again. Fujita prepared for another Gatoutsu, but Kenshin dodged to the side. Fujita tried another side slash attack, but Kenshin blocked it with his bokken, crouching down. He then spun around, rising to his feet, and brought his bokken up, gaining momentum, and felt it connect with the back of Fujita's head. The master was sent crashing into the wall opposite the one Kenshin had hit only moments before. 

Fujita slowly rose to his feet. "You're good, far better than I expected. The same move doesn't work twice on you," he noted, admiration showing in his eyes. 

Just then, the woman who answered the door came into the dojo. "Master Fujita, your class has arrived," she said. 

"Thank you, Naomi. I'll be there shortly." 

Naomi bowed, and left the room. Fujita turned to Kenshin. "Well, it seems this practice session has come to an end. I look forward to facing you again," Fujita said, bowing to Kenshin. Kenshin returned the bow. "Now, I must be going. I have a class to teach. I would invite you to join the class, but I don't think that there is anything that I can teach you. Ill see you later." Fujita exited the room, following Naomi. 

Kenshin walked over and collected his coat and sword. That had been an exciting practice session. Apparently, Mizoguchi Haiitou hadn't changed that much in 100 years, after all. 

Kenshin left the dojo and headed home. When he arrived, his side was still throbbing, so he went to the bathroom, and checked the bandages. His wound had opened once again. 


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**Chapter 12**

The next two days passed slowly for Kenshin. He went to school with Yugi in the morning, and went to the dojo in the afternoon while Yugi went to hang out with his friends. Yugi had told them about the tournament, but none of them could make it. Joey and Tristan were going to Joey's mother's house to visit Serenity, and Tea had to work. Ryou, however, was eager for a chance to see Kenshin's skills. He didn't worry too much about Bakura, because Yami would be there in case the tomb raider tried anything. Finally, Saturday had arrived. 

"Grandpa! Me and Kenshin are leaving! We'll probably be gone all day, okay?" Yugi called to Grandpa as he and Kenshin came down the stairs. 

"Alright, I'll see you tonight, then. Be careful!" Grandpa called from the shop. 

Kenshin and Yugi exited through the back door. Yugi sighed, relieved. "I thought he was gonna ask where we were going!" 

"Yes, it is better to not have to lie at all," Kenshin said as they walked to the road. He pulled the flyer from his pocket and looked at it. "It says that the tournament will be held at the park." 

"At the park?" Yugi asked, confused. "Oh, yeah! They have that big indoors stadium there! That's probably where we need to go," he said, smiling. 

Kenshin nodded and returned the paper to his pocket. Although he looked like he was calm, almost bored, Kenshin was barely containing his enthusiasm. Both he and Battousai were excited about this tournament. Yes, he could practice by himself, he could spar with people, but nothing rivaled the adrenaline rush of a battle. True, it would be with bokkens and no one would die, but it was still exciting. Sparring is fun, but you're so focused on trying to not hurt the other person that there's not much room left for anything else. Here, you're still trying to not hurt the other person, but only drastically. Minor wounds will be sustained and the battle will continue. It is almost a complete test of strength--almost, because there's still the safety net of being able to back out at any time with no consequences, save forfeiting the tournament. But it was still enough to have the former manslayer impatient with anticipation. 

Although Kenshin looked calm when you glanced at him, Yami could tell that he was excited. His eyes were a little wider than normal as he stared ahead. The corner of his lips kept twitching, as if desperately trying not to reveal the wide smile concealed within them. He had set a fast pace, forcing poor Yugi to practically run to keep up with him. His left hand frequently strayed causally to his left hip, as if searching for something that was not there, while his right hand clenched and unclenched itself, longing for a very familiar object. Yami wasn't sure if he should be worried or not. _I hope he knows that there is no killing in this tournament, _ Yami thought to himself. 

~*~ 

Finally, they reached the park. Yugi was correct in his assumption that the tournament would be held in the stadium, and they fought through the crowds (figuratively, as much as Battousai wanted to do so literally) to the front desk. There was a woman sitting there with long black hair that was held back by a bandanna, with green eyes. She had on a white blouse that was neatly tucked into her black skirt. She smiled at Kenshin as he approached. 

"Would you like to participate in the tournament today?" she asked, her voice pleasant. 

"Hai," Kenshin replied, allowing himself to grin, but nothing more than a polite smile. 

She picked up a pen and pulled a fresh sheet of paper off of the stack in front of her. "Your name?" she asked, pen poised over the paper. 

"Kenshin Himura." 

"Age?" 

"15." 

"Style?" 

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu." 

"Dojo?" 

Here Kenshin paused. He looked, and found that Yugi had left already, apparently to get a good seat. He turned back to the woman in front of him. "I did not study at a dojo. I lived with my master for a number of years, and he taught me everything I know." 

She paused. "Well, then, what's your master's name?" she asked, finally. 

"Seijuro Hiko XIII." 

She finished copying the name and smiled at Kenshin again. "Alright, you've been registered to fight in the tournament. The waiting room for fighters is over there--" she pointed, "and clothes and a bokken will be provided for you. Good luck." 

"Arigatou," Kenshin said, bowing. He walked in the direction she indicated and entered the room. There were already several people in there, waiting. Kenshin was pleased to note that they all wore a gi and hakama, similar to his uniform he wore as a hitokiri. 

/Those must be the clothes she was talking about,/ Kenshin pointed out. 

//Finally! Something comfortable to wear!// Battousai said, dramatically. 

Kenshin made a face. /Modern clothes are not that bad. They're actually quite comfortable once you get used to--/ 

Suddenly, someone grabbed the front of Kenshin's shirt, lifting him off the ground. "I asked you if you had a problem wit' me!" demanded a tall, muscular man in his mid twenties. He had tattoos covering both arms, and a leather T-shirt with matching leather pants. 

/Yugi would love that outfit,/ Kenshin noted. 

//Kenshin, the man is holding you off the ground by your shirt. Please tell me you're gonna do something _other _ than talk about his and Yugi's similarly warped sense of fashion!// Battousai snarled. He wasn't mad at Kenshin, just the fact that Kenshin was willing to tolerate things like this when Battousai would have killed them for insulting him in such a manner. 

/Calm down,/ Kenshin said, trying to rein in his yami's temper. The fights hadn't even started yet! "I'm sorry, I don't have a problem with you," Kenshin said in a cheerful voice. 

This seemed to irritate the man further. "Then why wuz you starin' at me funny?!" he demanded, shaking Kenshin to punctuate his words. 

Battousai was about to teach this punk a lesson whether Kenshin liked it or not, when someone else intervened. 

"I'm sorry, but you will be disqualified for fighting in the locker room if you don't stop. You should save your strength for the fights," said an older man, stepping up to them. He was wearing a vest that declared him as an official of the tournament, causing the man holding Kenshin to drop him immediately and walk off muttering something about being provoked. The official helped Kenshin to his feet. "Are you alright, young man?" he inquired. 

Kenshin smiled, again just a polite smile. "Hai, arigatou," he said, bowing. Battousai muttered something about _interrupting his fun _... 

The official looked Kenshin up and down, critically. "Well, you don't seem like much of a fighter, but if you're in here then you must be wanting to participate. Come with me and I'll get you some clothes and a bokken." 

The official led Kenshin to a dressing room in the back where Kenshin tried on several sets of clothes, all of them too big. The old man came back with one last set. "This is the smallest we've got. If these don't fit, then I'm afraid that you'll have to wear clothes that are too big," he said, shrugging apologetically. Fortunately for Kenshin, they fit perfectly. "Good. Now, follow me, and you can pick out which bokken you'd like to use." 

After Kenshin had picked a bokken, he sat on the floor against the wall, his legs crossed underneath him, with the bokken leaning against his right shoulder, with his arms crossed in front of him. He closed his eyes to meditate until the beginning of the fights. He didn't get the chance to. 

"Well, if it isn't Yugi's new little friend. I hope you brought your mommy, so you can run crying to her when you get hit," a voice said, scornfully. 

Kenshin smiled, looking up at him. "Hello, Kaiba. Looking forward to the fights?" 

Kaiba was a bit taken back, but recovered quickly. "You're just gonna get beat up out there. You're not physically built for kendo," Kaiba said, surprised that he was actually a little worried about Kenshin. He never did approve of strong people picking on people who were weaker than them. 

Kenshin just continued smiling at him. "On the contrary, as I told you the other day, being smaller and lighter makes me faster and more agile. I'm also a smaller target," Kenshin explained. 

"Fine! You wanna get yourself killed?! Then go right on ahead! But don't say I didn't warn you...," Kaiba said, walking away. Kenshin just shook his head. Kaiba'd understand soon enough. 

~*~ 

Yugi had left when Kenshin started answering the receptionist's questions. He wanted to get a good seat, so he figured that he might as well start now. With some difficulty, he entered the stadium and looked around. There were several large mats on the floor where the fighting would take place, with bleachers on either side. The bleachers were almost full already, Yugi noticed with a sinking feeling. That meant he might have to sit in the back where he might not be able to see Kenshin at all (being short has it's disadvantages). He scanned the front row, looking for an empty seat and--there! Yugi spotted an empty seat and started walking over to it. He was halfway there before he realized that Ryou was sitting in the one next to it, trying to get his attention. Yugi walked over to him. 

"Hi Yugi! I got here early, and saved us some seats!" Ryou said, gesturing to the seat next to him. Yugi sat down beside him. "Thanks, Ryou! So, how long before it starts?" 

Ryou looked at his watch. "About ten minutes." 

Yugi shifted, getting comfortable in his seat. He and Ryou waited in silence for the tournament to begin. 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the announcer walked out into the middle of the room with a microphone and the audience quieted down as he held up one hand for silence. 

"Welcome to this year's Kendo Tournament! We will begin very shortly, but first let me explain the rules of the tournament. First off-- acts resulting in disqualification. If you use any other type of weapon, aside from the bokken issued, you will be disqualified. If you kill your opponent, you will be disqualified. Also, poking in the eyes and hitting the groin is just plain mean, and will not be tolerated. You will be disqualified from the tournament for doing so. But enough about that, how do you win a match? Forcing your opponent off of the mat, disarming them, or knocking them out will declare you the victor of the duel. We would like to remind the audience to remain seated, and not rush out onto the floor at any time. The snack bar is open out in the hall, and they've got some great stuff..." 

Yugi looked at Ryou. "Are they ever gonna start, or is he just gonna keep talking the whole time?" 

Ryou shrugged his shoulders. "Hopefully, they'll start soon. It's already 9:24," he said, looking at his watch. 

"Now," the announcer continued, "it's the moment you've all been waiting for. On mat #1, Reijiro Dazai will be facing off with Sawako Maita. On mat #2, ..." 

"Who cares about them, where is Kenshin?" Yugi asked, looking around. 

"There! Look, over there! He's standing by the fifth mat!" Ryou said, excitedly, pointing. 

"...and on mat #5, Akino Menshi vs. Kenshin Himura. And, without further ado, let the tournament begin!" The audience screamed as all of the fighters stepped onto the mats and got into position. 

Yugi and Ryou watched as Kenshin walked onto the mat, bowed to his opponent, and fell into his fighting stance. 

~*~ 

Kenshin surveyed his opponent. Akino was probably around 12 or 13 years old. He had obviously never fought in a tournament before. He was shaking so bad that he could barely hold his bokken and he had left several of his vitals open to attack. Kenshin shook his head mentally. He almost felt bad having to beat the poor kid. He decided to disarm him quickly and get it over with. 

Kenshin darted forward, only using a fraction of his speed, and aimed a blow for Akino's right hand. Kenshin was a little startled when his attack was blocked by the boy's bokken. Kenshin smiled. 

/It appears that he has some fight in him after all. We'll have some fun before we take him out. It'll be a nice warm up,/ Kenshin said, mentally grinning a little more evilly than he allowed his face to show. 

//Oh, yeah, that's what I'm talking about,// Battousai agreed. Kenshin wouldn't go nearly as far to have fun with a weaker opponent as Battousai would, but Battousai would support him as far as he would go, and try to push him further. 

Kenshin exchanged thrust and parries with the boy, although they were much slower and softer than normal. It was quite a challenge for Kenshin to see if he could limit his speed and strength to match that of Akino's. Slowly, Kenshin was pushing him back, bit by bit, towards the edge of the mat. Akino didn't notice. He was too busy concentrating on where Kenshin's next attack was coming from to notice his diminishing distance from the edge. Soon, his foot was less than an inch from the edge. Kenshin rushed at him suddenly, preparing to swing his bokken. Akino moved his foot back to brace himself against the impact--and lost his balance as he inadvertently stepped from the mat to the floor, which was two inches lower, falling flat on his back off of the mat. The judge, who was watching mat #5, declared Kenshin the victor. 

Akino lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. He had lost. He had been so excited about participating in the tournament, and he hadn't even made it past the first round. Suddenly, a hand came into his field of view. He looked and saw the redhead who had just defeated him, offering him his hand. Akino took it, and Kenshin pulled him to his feet. 

"You fought well," Kenshin said, smiling. 

//After all, it's not your fault that you happened to fight Hitokiri Battousai in the first match,// Battousai remarked snidely, mimicking Kenshin's voice. Kenshin ignored him. 

"I lost." 

"Everyone has to lose sometime. Don't worry, you have an entire year to train and improve your skills. Next time, who knows? Maybe we'll fight again, and perhaps this time you will be the victor," Kenshin said. 

//Yeah, and perhaps Hiko will come walking up and apologize for trying to kill us. Don't lie to the kid,// Battousai said, as if insulted by Kenshin's comment. 

The boy looked at him, almost hopefully. "Thanks. I'm gonna train hard. You won't beat me next time." With that, he turned and walked out of the stadium. 

/We're not invincible,/ Kenshin reminded his darker half. 

//Yeah, but there's no way that THAT kid will beat us,// Battousai said, scornfully. 

/You never know, a lot can happen in a year. He has a strong ki already. He just needs to develop it./ 

Battousai snorted as Kenshin started walking back to the locker room to await his next match. 

~*~ 


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!". 

**Chapter 13**

Yugi and Ryou sat back in disappointment. Kenshin's first fight hadn't been nearly as exciting as they'd thought it would be. He had proved himself to be an average fighter, barely holding his own against his first opponent. He won by a stroke of luck, more than anything else. How would he fare in the upcoming fights? The contestants, one of whom included Kaiba, on two of the other four mats had finished their battles in almost record time--opposed to the twenty minutes Kenshin had taken fighting his opponent. Maybe Kenshin wasn't as good as he thought he was. But, then how could he have beaten Bakura? 

Suddenly, Ryou stood up. "I'm gonna go get a soda from the snack bar. Do you want something?" he inquired. Yugi shook his head, and Ryou disappeared into the crowd. Yugi stayed to save their seats. Ryou returned shortly, and they continued watching the fights. After two duels had taken place on three of the mats, one duel on the other two, the announcer came out to the middle of the floor again. 

"There you have it, ladies and gentlemen! Round One has been completed, and 8 of the original 16 contestants have been defeated!" The audience roared, in agreement with the announcer. "And now, on to Round Two!" The crowd screamed again as the beginning duel participants walked to the mats. Yugi and Ryou leaned forward in their seats, trying to see if Kenshin was among the fighters. Sure enough the red-head appeared, walking out of the locker room last. Instead of walking over to mat #5, he walked to mat #1. The announcer introduced the fighters to the audience. 

"Starting Round Two, we have on mat #1 Kenshin Himura vs. Hachiro Ukime. On mat #2, we have...," the announcer continued. Yugi and Ryou watched as Kenshin again bowed to his opponent before taking his stance. Hachiro looked to be somewhere around 27 or 28 years of age. He had a big muscular frame and stood head and shoulders taller than Kenshin. He laughed as Kenshin bowed. 

"Yeah, that's right--bow to me. Yer gonna be beggin' me fer mercy in a minute, anyway," he sneered. Kenshin's face remained emotionless. He would have just taken his opponent out, but he had realized that he would have to prolong the fights if he wanted to derive any amount of enjoyment from them. Kenshin waited for Hachiro to make the first move. 

Hachiro ran at Kenshin, swinging his bokken in a sloppy arc. Kenshin jumped out of the way, sighing mentally. His first opponent, Akino, had good technique, but lacked confidence and power to back it up. During their fight, Kenshin had noticed that his stance was good, if a little shaky, and his attacks were well executed. He needed practice using them in battle, but the form was almost perfect. Hachiro lacked kendo skills, but had excessive confidence and a moderate bit of power. He was just basically swinging his sword, counting on his strength to compensate. As Hachiro waited for him to make the next move, Kenshin noticed that his opponent had allowed his feet to get into an awkward position. Not wishing to drag out this particular fight, Kenshin copied Hachiro's opening move, showing him the correct way to execute it. As Hachiro tried hurriedly to get out of the way, he tripped and fell on his back. His bokken flew out of his hand as he landed, signaling Kenshin's victory. Kenshin didn't even bother with a reply to his stunned opponent, and turned and headed back to the locker room. As he passed mat #3, he noticed Kaiba had just finished off his opponent as well. _I hope he can fight decently,_ Kenshin thought to himself. _This will really be a huge disappointment if Kaiba is as weak as the rest of these fools._

Up in the stands, Yugi and Ryou were beginning to wonder if they'd been wrong about Kenshin all along. His first opponent hadn't paid attention to where he was going and stepped off of the mat, and now this guy had tripped himself and dropped his bokken! Kenshin had been incredibly lucky, so far. But, how long would that luck last? 

Kenshin re-entered the locker room, and sat down on the floor to meditate. He didn't really need to, but it gave him something to do in the time between the fights. 

By the time Round Two was over, it was almost noon. Once again, the announcer made his way to the middle of the floor. Several staff members had come out and were removing four of the five mats, leaving only the one in the center of the room. 

"Ladies and gentlemen! The semi-finalist's have all been decided and the matches are about to begin! The duels will be fought one at a time. First off, we have Kenshin Himura vs. Jiro Raikoji. After that match, we will have Seto Kaiba vs. Ichiro Futai. Let the duel begin!" The audience screamed as Kenshin and Jiro stepped onto the mat. 

//Oh, it's always nice to see familiar faces,// Battousai remarked, sarcastically. Jiro was none other than the black leather clad man they had met in the locker room. He had since changed into a gi and hakama, but he smirked at Kenshin anyway. 

"Well, if it ain't the runt from the locker room. Ah' saw your first fights--nothin' but luck. Well, your luck's just run out," he said, rushing at Kenshin. "You're goin' down!" 

Kenshin blocked his attack, but Jiro stayed on the offensive, forcing Kenshin to continually block. Jiro kept talking the entire time, hoping to distract Kenshin as he slowly pushed him to the side of the mat. "Ya know what the best thing about these here fights are? Any damage done to yer opponent is legal, s'long as they ain't dead!" he shouted with glee, swinging his bokken at Kenshin's shoulder, but Kenshin blocked. Kenshin saw what Jiro was doing, but made no move to counter it--yet. He waited until he was less than a few inches from the edge of the mat. Jiro continued his monologue, unaware of Kenshin's strategy. "Why don't you just give up now and run home, cryin' to your momma?" he asked, sneering. He thrust his sword forward towards Kenshin's stomach, expecting Kenshin to step back and off of the mat. Kenshin, however, stepped quickly to the side, catching Jiro momentarily off-balance at Kenshin's unexpected dodge. 

"I've got a much better idea. Why don't you stop wasting my time," Kenshin said in a soft, deadly voice as he brought his bokken down hard on the small of Jiro's back, pushing him forward. Unfortunately, Jiro realized too late that his plan had backfired. He stumbled and fell onto the hard floor of the stadium. The crowd cheered as Kenshin was named the winner. 

Yugi and Ryou weren't sure what to make of the situation. The first two matches Kenshin had appeared to win by default. But in this match, not only had Kenshin won, but he had used his opponent's strategy to do so! Maybe those wins weren't flukes after all... Kenshin was definitely a very clever person. They sincerely hoped they hadn't made a mistaken in assuming that he was on their side... 

Meanwhile, in the back of Ryou's mind, Bakura was watching with interest. There was much more to the boy than the eye could see. The runt was impressive. It was obvious after the first two fights that Kenshin wasn't fighting at his full strength. He was holding back, only using enough to beat his opponent. Bakura was beginning to get a grudging respect for this red-haired boy. He was very clever and quick on his feet. _I wouldn't have minded having him as my partner, back then,_ Bakura thought to himself, briefly reminiscing about the past. He quickly brought his thoughts back to the present. _However, the time for any alliances we might have had is long gone. He has beaten his opponents thus far with ease, true--but he has yet to face Kaiba. And he's pretty good, himself,_ Bakura thought. _Regardless of the outcome, Kenshin will be tired by the time that duel is finished..._ Bakura laughed as he started forming his plan. 

Ryou shivered suddenly, drawing Yugi's attention. Ryou was a little pale, and his hands were shaking very slightly. Yugi looked at him worriedly. "Are you alright?" he asked, in a concerned voice. 

Ryou brushed off his concern with a slightly forced-sounding laugh. "I'm fine. It's just a little cold in here," Ryou lied, easily. Yugi seemed to accept this and turned his attention back to the stadium floor. 

Truthfully, Ryou had heard Bakura laughing. That sound chilled him to the bone, because it usually meant that something bad was going to happen shortly after. He only hoped that Yami would stop Bakura before he did any real damage. 

After his fight, Kenshin had stayed out on the floor so he could watch Kaiba's fight. He hadn't had a chance to do so earlier, as they were fighting at the same time. Now, Kaiba and Ichiro were stepping up to the mat as the announcer made his speech. 

"And now we have the second semi-final match between last year's champion, Seto Kaiba, and a long-time participant, Ichiro Futai. Let the match begin!" 

Kaiba rushed his opponent, trying to end the match quickly. It was already 1:00, and he had a meeting to attend at 3:30. He wanted this tournament to be finished before then, so he was doing his best to end his fights quickly. Most of his opponents went down with only one or two hits. Ichiro, however, had other plans. He stepped to the side as Kaiba rushed him, and aimed for Kaiba's unguarded back. Kaiba swung around with speed that surprised even Kenshin, and managed to block the attack. 

/Wow, he's fast. Much more than I had anticipated,/ Kenshin said, as he watched Kaiba and Ichiro exchange blows. 

//Nowhere near us, though,// Battousai couldn't help but add. 

/True, but we aren't going to be fighting using our full speed. Especially after the last three fights, I want to make this one last. Given Kaiba's apparent skills, that shouldn't be too difficult. This is going to be a fight to remember,/ Kenshin said, already eager to begin. He didn't have to wait long. 

Kaiba and Ichiro both attacked at the same time, bokkens locked together as each tried to over-power the other. Kaiba was stronger, however, and threw Ichiro back. Ichiro, momentarily off-balance, was helpless to defend against Kaiba's next attack, and fell off of the mat. The announcer declared Kaiba the winner, and announced a five minute intermission until the start of the final round. 

Kaiba, who was walking towards the locker room, stopped as Kenshin approached him. _If he made it to the finals, I guess he wasn't as bad as I thought. No way he can compare to me, though,_ he thought, smugly. Aloud he said, "What do you want? Have you come to beg for mercy? Because I won't be showing you any in our duel." 

Kenshin came up to him smiling, clearly very pleased about something. "Your skills are impressive. I am eagerly awaiting our duel," Kenshin said, obviously very excited. 

_Amateurs,_ Kaiba thought, scornfully, as he pushed past Kenshin and entered the locker room. _Never know when to quit. Oh well, if it's a beating he wants, then it's a beating I'll give him._

~*~ 


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!". 

**Chapter 14**

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for, the final duel of this year's Kendo Tournament!" The crowd's roar was deafening as they showed their enthusiasm. The announcer waited for them to quiet down some before continuing. "Let me introduce the finalists. First up, we have last year's well-known champion, Seto Kaiba!" Again, the audience screamed in support, more than a few girls screaming out their love to him, and had to be restrained by security to keep from running out onto the floor. The announcer continued. 

"And facing Kaiba is the newcomer to the tournament, Kenshin Himura!" The crowd roared, and several more groups of girls shouted marriage proposals. A faint blush rose in Kenshin's cheeks as those girls also had to be restrained. Unfortunately, two of the opposing groups happened to be sitting next to each other and got in a fight over which finalist was better. They all ended up having to be escorted outside. The announcer shook his head and continued. 

"Now that the sea of raging hormones has ebbed, let the match begin!" The crowd roared again, louder than the previous times if that was at all possible. Kenshin and Kaiba both stepped up onto the mat. Kenshin bowed to Kaiba. 

"You know, it's still not too late to back out," Kaiba said, almost pleading. He really didn't want to hurt Kenshin. It reminded him too much of the bullies who used to pick on Mokuba when he was younger. This was why he kept trying to persuade Kenshin to forfeit the match. 

Kenshin looked at him, his face expressionless. "I've been waiting to fight you for awhile. Please don't make me wait any longer," he said quietly. 

Kaiba fumed. He hated being ignored. Here he was trying to help him and Kenshin just throws it back in his face! "Fine! But I warn you, I won't hold back!" Kaiba said, his anger rising. 

This time, Kenshin smiled. He could feel Kaiba's angry ki and it was addicting. He felt his adrenaline surge in response to the anticipated attack. "I would be disappointed if you did," Kenshin said, his voice betraying nothing of the elation he felt inside. He felt Kaiba's anger increase. _Why is he so angry?_ Kenshin wondered, briefly, before Kaiba rushed at him. 

Yugi and Ryou sat on the edge of their seats, eyes wide, not wanting to miss anything that transpired on the mat before them. Kenshin and Kaiba seemed to be talking. Kenshin was pretty emotionless, aside from the smile on his face, but Kaiba looked like he was ready to kill someone. 

"I wonder what they're talking about?" Yugi wondered, aloud. 

"You got me. Oh, look! They're starting!" Ryou said, excitedly, pointing. 

Kaiba rushed forward, hoping to catch Kenshin off guard. Kenshin dodged to the left, analyzing Kaiba's speed and deciding how much to use of his own. Kaiba was pretty strong, so Kenshin didn't need to limit his strength, but his speed was another matter. After all, in order for this fight to be interesting, Kaiba actually had to be able to see him. 

Kaiba's back was exposed as his lunge carried him past Kenshin, but Kenshin had seen Kaiba block a blow to the back in his last fight. Instead, Kenshin thrust his bokken in Kaiba's direction. As Kenshin predicted, Kaiba turned to block a back attack, realizing his mistake too late. He took Kenshin's thrust full in the stomach, stumbling backward, but remaining standing. Kenshin's respect for the champion increased and he smiled. 

/This duel will be as interesting as I thought,/ he said, excitedly. 

//Gotta admit, the kid can take a hit,// Battousai said, grudgingly. He'd rather point out opponent's weak points than their strengths. 

Kenshin waited while Kaiba recovered. It wouldn't do at all to end the match so soon. He knew that Kaiba would not extend the same courtesy to him nor did he expect it. Kaiba straightened up and glared at Kenshin. "Why didn't you attack me while I was vulnerable?" Kaiba demanded. He prided himself on being able to figure out his opponents, but everything Kenshin did and said confused him and he didn't like being confused. 

"Because it's much too early for our duel to end," Kenshin said, simply. He felt Kaiba's anger rise again, coming close to turning into rage. 

/What am I saying to make him mad? I don't want to fight him when he's too blinded by anger to keep from making mistakes,/ Kenshin complained. 

//I don't know, but you do have a tendency of being really annoying,// Battousai said, helpfully. 

/Thanks a lot,/ Kenshin replied, dryly. He felt Kaiba's anger rise a little higher. /Now what did I do?/ 

Kaiba was becoming furious. Now, not only was Kenshin mocking him by halting his attack, but he was completely ignoring him, too! He zoned out in his own little world. _Fine, I'll just attack him then. I'm tired of trying to help him by warning him!_ Kaiba thought as he rushed at Kenshin again. This time he didn't rush past him, but stopped right in front of the redhead, turning his expected slash into a thrust. Kenshin saw this, and deflected it, moving to the right a little bit. Kaiba thrust his sword at Kenshin two more times and he deflected each, moving a little to the right each time. Kaiba slashed at him, but Kenshin blocked, their bokkens locked together. Suddenly Kaiba fell back and tried slashing at Kenshin's back as he over-balanced slightly. However, Kenshin spun and blocked Kaiba's attack again, their bokkens locked together once more. Kaiba pushed Kenshin back and jumped away, putting a little space between them. Kenshin slid back on the mat, never losing his balance and falling into his fighting stance. They stared at each other, waiting to see who would make the first move. 

In the bleachers, Yugi and Ryou were spell-bound by the fight taking place before them. It was so intense that even the audience remained silent, the sounds of bokkens connecting echoing throughout the stadium. The two rushed at each other, their bokkens meeting and locking together yet again. It was at this particular point in time that Bakura decided he was tired of watching from inside the Ring, and took control of Ryou's body. Yugi, sensing the change informed Yami, who then took control of Yugi's body. 

"What are you doing out here, Tomb Raider?" Yami asked, suspiciously. 

Bakura glared at him. "Watching the fight, same as you," he sneered. 

"And why can't you do that from inside the Ring?" 

Bakura shrugged. "There's a better view out here." 

Unfortunately, the two yamis picked a bad time to come out. Kenshin felt the drastic shifts in the ki of first Ryou and then Yugi. He knew that this signaled that their yamis had come out and that could be very bad for him if they double-teamed him. He held his bokken against Kaiba's, but slid his eyes towards the yamis sitting in the bleachers. Kaiba, seeing Kenshin's distraction, pulled back suddenly and swung his bokken as hard as he could towards Kenshin's unprotected left side. 

Kenshin fell forward as Kaiba unexpectedly moved back, but quickly recovered himself. Unfortunately for Kenshin, he wasn't quick enough. He felt excruciating pain as Kaiba's bokken connected with the wound in his side. Oh, yeah, it was open again. Kenshin fell to his knees, eyes wide and gasping in pain. There was a general groan of sympathy from the audience. Kenshin's left hand was clutching his side. His bangs had fallen forward, hiding his eyes. It didn't matter, his vision was flickering and threatening to black out completely anyway. He sensed Kaiba coming toward him, and focused all of his energies on sensing Kaiba's attacks in order to counter them. He was right. Kaiba wasn't going to extend to him the courtesy of waiting for him to recover. Kaiba swung downwards, expecting to catch Kenshin unawares, as he was not watching what was going on. He was considerably surprised, therefore, when Kenshin raised his bokken and blocked, still not looking up. Kaiba increased the pressure, forcing Kenshin to grasp the bokken with both hands. Kaiba had the advantage as long as he was above Kenshin, so the redhead fell backwards on his back. The move caused Kaiba to over-balance and fall onto Kenshin, who was prepared. He pushed Kaiba with his feet, flipping Kaiba over Kenshin. They both got to their feet quickly, neither giving the slightest advantage to the other. Kenshin's hair was still covering his eyes. His cheeks looked a little pale, and he was shaking very slightly. Kaiba did not notice this, content with the fact that he had landed a hit on the figure before him. To tell the truth, Kenshin had impressed him, but he, like Battousai, would rather insult than praise during the battle. 

"So, it appears that you can take a hit after all. Although, it did take you a while to recover from that one little blow," Kaiba said loftily. Had he been paying attention, he would have realized what Kenshin's reaction to his attack had meant--Kenshin had a wound from something else and Kaiba had found it. However, Kaiba was blinded by his emotions. He had been very angry with Kenshin at the beginning of the battle, and the fact that he could not land one single blow on his opponent had only served to increase that anger. Now, he was enjoying the small victory gained by wounding his opponent. 

Kenshin looked up, making eye contact with Kaiba. The latter froze, a chill racing down his spine. Kenshin's warm violet eyes had become a smoldering amber. Kaiba saw nothing but a promise of his very slow and painful death in that amber glare. Kaiba regained his composure quickly, but he could not bring himself to meet those piercing eyes. 

"You will regret that," a low, cold voice said softly. 

It took Kaiba a minute to realize that it had been Kenshin who spoke. "And who's gonna make me? You?" Kaiba replied, scornfully. 

Battousai was pleased to note that there was not-quite-concealed fear in his voice. "Yes," he said, the word seeming to echo, although it was spoken barely above a whisper. 

Battousai stuck his sword into the mat at his feet. He channeled his ki through the bokken and into the mat, forming it into a wave and aiming it toward Kaiba. 

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Do-ryu-sen!" Battousai cried, pulling his bokken from the floor and directing the ki toward his opponent. As his ki traveled, it tore up the mat, throwing the pieces towards Kaiba. The pieces of stuffing and whatnot the mat was made of was not nearly as effective as the rocks when the attack was performed outside. The wave of ki knocked Kaiba off his feet, but it was not enough to finish him nor did he land off of the mat. 

The audience was speechless, and even Kaiba was more than a little stunned. Kaiba stood up, trying to regain his composure, but failing miserably. 

Battousai shook his head. //Looks like I get to use my favorite attack to finish him. I'm sorry Kenshin, but this is gonna hurt,// Battousai warned. He looked at Kaiba. "And now, I'll finish this. Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu..." 

Kaiba blinked as Kenshin suddenly vanished. He looked around frantically, trying to locate him. 

"Ryu-tsui-sen!" 

Kaiba looked up just as he felt Kenshin's bokken connect with his shoulder. He heard an audible crack and felt his collar bone break, before darkness claimed him. 

Battousai stood over him, visibly shaking with the pain that wracked his body. He was much paler now, making his red hair stand out. He clutched the shattered hilt of his bokken tightly in his hand--it had broken with the force of his Ryu-tsui-sen. The wound in his side protested violently with each beat of his heart, and he could practically feel the blood flowing out of it. The announcer, after staring for a few minutes, came over and checked Kaiba for a pulse. Finding one, he grabbed Kenshin's left hand and raised it high in the air triumphantly. "The Champion of this year's Kendo Tournament! Kenshin Himura!" he yelled into the microphone. Kenshin's vision swam once again as the excited announcer thrust his arm in the air. It was by sheer will power that he remained standing, and forced himself not to clutch his wound. After all, there were still two possible enemies present. He would not allow them to see any weakness from him. 


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**Chapter 15**

Battousai stood next to the announcer in the middle of the stadium floor. He was looking at Yami and Bakura with distrusting eyes, clearly stating that they had better keep their distance if they knew what was good for them. He was doing his best to look imposing, with no sign of weakness. But, try as he might, he could not conceal all of the pain lancing through his side behind his usual expressionless mask. So much of it was showing through, that even the announcer noticed. He took pity on the boy and escorted him back to the locker rooms to change, getting the address of where to send the prize money on the way. A small, black-haired boy ran past them, accompanied by two paramedics carrying a stretcher, all running over to where Kaiba lay. Battousai ignored them for the most part, doubling his concentration on masking his current weakened state. He could feel the yamis watching his every move, and hoped that they would not attack. 

When he reached the locker room, Battousai took off the borrowed clothes, and slipped into his jeans. He noticed that the bandage on his left side was soaked with his blood, but he hadn't thought to bring along any extras. He checked the wound on his right leg and decided that the wound could do without a bandage for now. He removed the bandage on his side, replacing it with the clean bandage from his leg. It was about this time that the small, black-haired boy that ran past him earlier entered the locker room. He glared at Battousai. 

"How could you do that? How could you do something like that to my brother?! You almost killed him!" the child cried, almost in tears. 

//Oh, so that's Kaiba's brother,// Battousai said, darkly. He was not in the mood to deal with anyone right now, especially irate family members. 

"He got what he deserved," Battousai said, coldly, making eye contact with Mokuba. Mokuba's retort got stuck in his throat, and he just stared. Kenshin's eyes were so--intense! Mokuba felt a chill run down his spine. 

Battousai, sensing Mokuba's slowly growing fear, looked away. There was no need for this child to fear him. Mokuba took a few minutes to recover. Battousai walked over to the trashcan, throwing away the bloody bandages, slightly favoring his left side. He then returned to the bench and put on his shirt, inadvertently allowing Mokuba to see the growing bloodstain on his freshly bandaged side. Silently, Battousai walked past the boy, retrieving his coat and katana (keeping the latter concealed from the child's gaze), and exited the locker room. 

The pain in his side was becoming less intense, allowing him to concentrate on avoiding contact with people from the audience (namely, hormonally-imbalanced girls who happened to take more than a passing interest in him). Fortunately, the exit from the locker room was strategically placed to ensure as little resistance as possible from people in the audience. The exit was located on the other side from the entrance, leading the masses to believe that the entrance was where the occupants of the locker room would emerge after the event. So, naturally, the vast majority of Kenshin's supporters in the audience were waiting there. Smiling to himself at the ingenuity of the layout, Battousai exited the building. 

Not many of the people had ventured outside yet, so Battousai started walking toward the more isolated parts of the park. He still felt threatened, so he wanted to get away from people for two reasons. One, it would minimize the number of innocent people caught in the crossfire and; two, he might be able to escape from the yamis without them realizing he was gone. He still wasn't sure where he was going to go after that if Yugi's yami did prove to have less-than-honorable intentions, but he would fight that battle when he came to it. 

Battousai stopped as he entered a currently deserted clearing in the park, feeling the two yamis following him also stop. //So much for them not realizing I left,// he said, darkly. 

~*~ 

After the announcer led Kenshin to the locker room, Yami decided to wait for him outside. It was too crowded and noisy in the building. Yami walked outside and sat in the shade of a tree located in a prime position. From his viewpoint, Yami had a clear view of all of the exits. He watched the first one, waiting for Kenshin to appear, but was surprised when a flash of red caught his eye. Kenshin was taking one of the exits on the side of the building. He walked away from the building at a fast pace, traveling deeper into the park. 

\\Where do you suppose he is going?\\ Yami asked, a little miffed, as he stood up and followed the red-head at a safe distance. 

\I really have no idea. Kaiba really seemed to have hurt him when he hit Kenshin's left side. Why wouldn't he want to go home?\ Yugi wondered, equally confused at the red-head's actions. 

\\He's obviously an experienced fighter--remember when you woke him up?--and, as a fighter, when you're injured you return to a safe place until you can protect yourself again. I would think that Kenshin's safe place would be home, at the shop. So why would he go deeper into the park? Unless...,\\ Yami trailed off, his eyes widening slightly. \\No, he couldn't...\\ 

Yugi was completely baffled now. \Yami...?\ Yugi prompted. 

Yami shook his head. \\I think that Kenshin can tell when I am in control of your body,\\ Yami explained. 

\What?! But how's that possible? He's never even seen you! And I had to explain it to all of my close friends, who've known me way longer than Kenshin, before they even noticed there was a difference! How could Kenshin tell? What makes you think that he even knows?\ Yugi was having a hard time seeing the logic behind Yami's conclusion. 

\\Well, the only thing that would keep Kenshin from returning home, would be if home wasn't a safe place anymore. The only difference between now and when we entered the park is that now I am in control of your body. I'm not sure how he can tell, but he was also glaring at Bakura and I after he won the last fight. We had both taken control just before the fight had finished, remember? That and now he's avoiding everyone, including you. It seems to be the only logical explanation, to me,\\ Yami explained. Yugi was silent, pondering this new information. 

Suddenly, Kenshin stopped. Surprised, Yami stopped as well. Kenshin was standing in the middle of a clearing encircled almost completely by trees. A small stone path cut through the center, and circled to the left ahead of them. Kenshin spoke, his voice low and deadly, holding an unspoken warning. 

"Why have you been following me?" 

Surprised that Kenshin had known he was there, Yami walked out into the clearing and pretended to be Yugi. 

"Well, I was wondering where you're going. You won the tournament, so I thought you'd want to go home, but then I saw you walking in this direction and I followed," Yami said, raising the pitch of his voice a little to sound more like Yugi's. 

Kenshin snorted. "Before we continue any further, I believe an introduction would be in order, first and foremost. Although I've been living with Yugi this past week, I have never met you," Battousai said, disdainfully. He hated when people tried to lie to him. Granted, Yami hadn't really been lying, but he was pretending to be Yugi, and that was close enough. 

Yami paused before answering. _I was right, he _can_ tell the difference. I would be willing to bet that this is not Kenshin, but rather Kenshin's yami that I'm speaking with,_ Yami thought. Aloud he said, "You are correct, we have never met. Yugi calls me Yami. Am I correct in assuming that I am not addressing Kenshin, but the Legendary Hitokiri Battousai?" Yami asked, almost casually. 

Battousai didn't even flinch. "You are." 

\Legendary Hitokiri Battousai? Yami, what are you talking about?\ Yugi asked, getting more confused. 

\\Remember your history class on Monday, Yugi? You were studying the Bakumatsu,\\ Yami prompted. He always preferred to hint and let Yugi figure it out on his own. 

\Oh, that's right! I remember the teacher talking about a legendary manslayer... Are you saying it's Kenshin' s yami? Kenshin has a _manslayer_ for his yami?! And I thought Ryou had it bad...\ 

While Yugi digested this new information, Yami turned his attention back to Kenshin--er, Battousai. "Why don't you turn around instead of making me talk to your back? It's called common courtesy," Yami said, a little testily. He disliked three things: losing, surprises, and rude people. Battousai had already fulfilled two of the three. 

"As you wish." Battousai slowly turned around, and stared at Yami. Yami, for his part, took an involuntary step backwards before resolutely returning Battousai's gaze, unflinching. 

\Wow, he has some evil eyes...\ Yugi said, his voice shaking. 

\\Do not worry, aibou. I do not know if he means to attack us, but I will not let any harm come to you,\\ Yami reassured his frightened hikari. 

Since Yami had started following him, Battousai had not sensed anything other than a desire to help. The other yami was still hiding in the woods, obviously plotting something against Battousai by the feel of his ki. Although, Battousai had originally thought that they had come together. However, throughout their conversation, Yami had done nothing to indicate he knew of Bakura's presence. Battousai concluded that Bakura was working alone, possibly even against Yami, now that he read his ki again. Yes, most of Bakura's anger and hatred was directed not at him, but at the figure standing in front of him. Battousai was now positive that Yami was oblivious to Bakura's impending attack. Battousai had to act quickly. 

He darted forward, quickly closing the gap between himself and Yami, as Bakura released his attack. "Ha! Take that, you stupid Pharaoh! Never saw that one coming, didja?!" Bakura practically howled with glee. It was then that he noticed the tri-color haired boy sprawled to the side of where Bakura had shot. Yami was glaring at him, and Bakura knew that he wouldn't get another chance. "What? No! I couldn't have missed, it was the perfect shot! They didn't even know I was here! He couldn't have dodged that! What could have possibly gone wrong?!" Bakura practically screamed in frustration. 

"What went wrong? It's very simple. You forgot about me," said the same cold voice Bakura had heard when he tried to take the Millennium Mask. 

"Wha...?" Bakura started turning around as, again, something cold and hard hit the back of his head, and he lost consciousness. 

Yami was confused. One minute he'd been looking at Battousai (or, rather, his eyes as he couldn't seem to look away) and the next he was on the ground listening to the tomb raider first applauding the success and then lamenting the failure of his plan. He had looked up and seen Bakura standing about twenty yards away. Then, Battousai had appeared next to him, drawn his sword from inside his trench coat and-- 

"No! You can't kill him!" Yami cried too late, watching as Bakura fell to the ground. Yami ran over to where Ryou's body lay, unmoving on the ground. When he reached the boy, he was surprised to notice that there was no blood. But, hadn't Battousai just attacked him with his katana? Yami looked at Battousai's sword. It was flipped. He had hit Ryou with the back of the blade, where it was dull. Yami looked at him, questioningly. 

"Why? You're one of the most feared manslayers that ever lived. You've ended countless men's lives without a second thought. Why did you spare Ryou?" Yami asked, meeting Battousai's eyes. 

Battousai's gaze didn't flicker, although his breathing had changed. Where it had been deep and even before, it was now shallow and ragged. Yami didn't seem to notice. "Just being a hitokiri doesn't mean I enjoy killing. I don't kill every single person who annoys me," Battousai said, simply. 

/You would if you had your way,/ Kenshin reminded him. 

//Yes, but you won't allow that, so what I said is true. He doesn't need to know the specifics,// Battousai said, irritated. He didn't feel like arguing just now. First pushing Yami out of the way and then dispatching Bakura had aggravated his wounds even worse. His side was again bleeding freely, and he could already see a patch of blood spread on his right leg. He had removed the bandage on his leg, and the material of his jeans rubbing against his wound had caused it to re-open. To say that he was in a lot of pain would be an understatement. 

"So, I assume that you pushed me out of the way of his attack? I am indebted to you for your assistance," Yami said seriously, looking up at him. He would have been in a world of hurt if Bakura's attack had reached him. Battousai just nodded, as if speaking took too much effort. Suddenly, Yami looked at Battousai closely. 

Battousai had gotten a lot paler than he had been before, his red hair standing out vividly against his skin. His forehead was soaked in sweat, making his hair cling to it, and he was shaking almost violently. His breathing was shallow and shaky, as if breathing were a painful thing to do. As Yami's eyes traveled down Kenshin's body, they widened at the spreading bloodstains on both his left side and his right leg. 

"You're bleeding!" 

Battousai resisted the urge to roll his eyes. //No, duh,// he said, gritting his teeth. 

/Don't be so hard on him. He can't smell the blood, like we can. He didn't know,/ Kenshin said, defending Yami. 

//But he sure likes to point out the obvious.// Aloud he said, "Yes, Yami, I am bleeding. Now if you will excuse me...," Battousai said as he started walking away. Try as he might, he couldn't keep from flinching with each step he took, each impact of his foot touching the ground jarring his wounds, to say nothing of the fact that the simple act of walking required the use of those injured muscles. He had taken only two steps before Yami stopped him. He glanced up, annoyed. 

Yami ignored the glare, looking at him sternly. "You're hurt. Let me help you," he said, trying to put Battousai's arm over his shoulder. 

Battousai snatched his arm away. "I'm fine. I can walk home on my own," he said, growling. He had determined that Yami wasn't an enemy currently, but that did by no means imply that Battousai trusted him. 

Yami sighed. Battousai was a proud warrior. He probably wouldn't even admit to being wounded if the blood wasn't seeping through his clothes. Suddenly, Yugi had an idea. Yami chuckled as he listened. Battousai looked at him. "What's so funny," he growled. He did not like people laughing at him. 

"Oh, Yugi just has a message for Kenshin. It's obvious that you'd never accept any help, so Yugi said that if Kenshin didn't take over and let us help you two home, Yugi's gonna tell Grandpa that you participated in the tournament. You know how mad he'll be about that; first, because of your wounds and, second, because he would've liked to watch you. And, if he finds out about your wounds being re-opened he will take you back to the hospital, meaning more bed rest under your favorite nurse's ever-watchful eye. It's your choice," Yami said, smirking. It was obvious he had won. 

Sure enough, there was a flash of light from the Millennium Mask, and Battousai's amber eyes became a warm lavender. Kenshin cried out as all the pain came crashing down on him and would have fallen had it not been for Yami. Yami caught the pale boy as he fell, noting with surprise how light he was. Kenshin was skinny, granted, but surely he shouldn't be _this_ light? Yami could have carried him home easily. He suggested as much to Kenshin, as it might be better for the wound on his leg. Kenshin shook his head vigorously, clutching Yami to remain standing upright as a wave of dizziness overcame him from the motion. 

"If you do not tell Grandpa, I will allow you to assist me home. However, I will NOT be carried around like a basket of rice. I do not care what you say or do. I can, and will, walk," Kenshin said, forcefully. 

Accepting the minor victory, Yami placed Kenshin's arm around his shoulder and started home. He abruptly stopped, as he remembered something. 

"What about Bakura?", he asked, indicating the body on the ground with his foot. 

Kenshin seemed to converse with Battousai about something briefly before turning his attention back to Yami. "Don't worry, He should wake up in about a half hour or so," Kenshin said reassuringly. 

They stared walking again, Yami setting a slow pace. Kenshin said nothing, so Yami assumed that he had no problems with the speed they were walking. Yami paid close attention to Kenshin as they walked, every now and then suggesting they take a break. Kenshin would just shake his head, and they'd continue onward. Although Kenshin never made a sound, Yami could see the pain clearly written in his eyes, and he leaned on Yami heavily as they walked. 


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not, have not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**Chapter 16**

Kenshin and Yami made it home around 6:00. They came in the back door, hoping to avoid Grandpa as he closed up the store. When they were halfway up the stairs, Kenshin suddenly pushed Yami away from him. Yami stared at him curiously and was about to ask him why, when Grandpa suddenly came around the corner. Yami looked at Kenshin. He had forgotten that Kenshin could somehow tell where the people were around him. Grandpa smiled up at the two boys. 

"So, did you two have fun today?" he asked, a strange glint in his eye. 

Kenshin slowly turned so that he was half-facing Grandpa. His black coat concealed the blood on his side, and he was careful not to turn so much as to allow Grandpa a view of the blood on his leg. The continual movement of his leg while walking home had prevented the material from helping to clot the wound and, as a consequence, his blood now covered his leg from hip to just above his ankle. His side wasn't much better, the blood had reached his knee, but his coat covered it. "Hai," he replied, smiling as if he had nothing to hide. 

Grandpa's smile grew wider. "Yes, you did look like you were enjoying yourself at that tournament," He said, watching both Yami's and Kenshin's surprised reactions. "Or didn't you notice the camera crews, broadcasting the entire event?" he continued, chuckling at their reactions. 

They just stared at him. He had watched the whole thing? He didn't seem too upset that Kenshin had participated, although that was about to change. Kenshin suddenly stumbled, and would have fallen had it not been for Yami's strong arms catching and supporting him. It only took Kenshin a minute to regain his balance, but it was enough. Grandpa had hurried over to Kenshin when he had almost fallen, and saw the blood before Kenshin could hide it. 

"Kenshin! You've re-opened your wound!" he exclaimed, worriedly. 

//These people have a knack for stating the obvious,// Battousai stated, dryly. //We should have taken one of the bandages from either arm. Even if one of those wounds re-opened, we could have hidden it!// 

"You shouldn't be walking on it--you could make it worse!" Grandpa continued. He looked up, only then noticing that Yami was in control of Yugi's body. "Could you help me carry him to the car?" he asked. 

Yami didn't want Grandpa to strain his back. "He's pretty light--I can carry him by myself," Yami said, picking up a protesting Kenshin. Kenshin was pretty light, but there are just some things you can't do when you're old. 

"Put me down! I can walk just fine!" Kenshin complained, struggling in Yami's grasp. Yami ignored him. Despite Kenshin's struggles, Yami had no difficulty carrying him to the car. As Yami sat him inside, Kenshin again protested, guessing where they were taking him. 

"I'm fine, I just need to go upstairs and change the bandages--I don't need to be taken to the hospital!" he argued, his thoughts drifting to a particular employee on the nurse's staff. He did not look forward to any more time spent under her excruciating care. 

Grandpa glared at him, disapprovingly. "Kenshin, that wound is serious. You need to have it looked at. I can't believe you'd be so careless as to re-open it in the first place..." he said, muttering the last part to himself. 

//It wasn't our fault--it was the circumstances. Normally, this would've never happened,// Battousai said, defensively. He didn't like people blaming him when it was beyond his control. 

Yami sat down in the back next to Kenshin. Kenshin glared at him. "I save your life and this is how you repay me?" he said, quietly, not wanting Grandpa to overhear him. 

Yami shrugged apologetically. "I could either carry you to the car, or we could wait for an ambulance to arrive and take you on a stretcher. I assumed that you would prefer this option," he explained, grinning at Kenshin's predicament. Kenshin just turned and glared out the window. 

Grandpa started the car, and drove to the hospital. 

~*~ 

Kenshin woke up and looked around him. He was in a familiar looking white room, only this time there was a curtain blocking off half of the room. _How did I get back here? _ he briefly wondered. Then he remembered what had happened. _I must have fallen asleep in the car,_ he thought. He looked around again. He couldn't see any clocks and the curtain blocked the window, but by the amount of light peeking out around it he judged it to be late afternoon. He sat back on his bed, feeling weak for some unknown reason. He turned his head as he heard the door open. 

"Oh, good, you're finally awake! You've been unconscious for over twenty hours," Dr. Kagarashi said, walking up to Kenshin's bed. Kenshin didn't say anything, waiting for the doctor to continue. "The wound on your leg isn't that bad, but you should have kept the bandage on it." 

"I took it off to replace the one on my side. It had opened again, and I didn't have a replacement bandage at the time. I thought that the wound on my leg had healed enough to remain closed until I got home to replace the bandage." _I knew that it was possible I would have to fight either one or both of the yamis. Why did I take the one off my leg? One of the bandages on my arms would have been a much better choice! _ Kenshin thought, berating himself. 

"Yes, I see that this is not the first time that the wound on your side has re-opened," the doctor said, looking at Kenshin disapprovingly. Kenshin was silent and the doctor looked away, shaking his head. "It looks like you're going to be here for at least another week, if not more. And before you ask, yes, you're on strict bed rest. I understand that you walked quite a distance last night with that wound, and lost a lot of blood because of it. We didn't have to give you a blood transfusion, thankfully, but we do have you on a lot of fluids in the meantime," he said, gesturing to the IV running down and into Kenshin's arm. Kenshin looked down, surprised. He hadn't even noticed it was there. "You're probably feeling somewhat weak. It's natural, and probably a good thing, as it will keep you in bed for awhile, at least," he said, emphasizing the last part. Kenshin nodded. The doctor was right, he felt really weak and didn't want to do anything more than go to sleep. 

"One thing that is different from your last stay with us, is that this time you have a roommate to keep you company," the doctor continued, pointing at the curtained off section of the room. At Kenshin's confused look, he explained, "Due to the sudden influx of injuries due, in part, mostly to a particular tournament, we have had to put two patients in a few rooms. You will be sharing your room with one Seto Kaiba," the doctor said, peering at the clipboard in his hand. 

Because he was looking down, he missed Kenshin's expression at the news. Let's just say that Kenshin was very surprised at that. He had gotten his expression under control once again when the doctor looked up. It was then that Kenshin, extending his senses to Kaiba's side of the room, discovered that he was asleep. _ It's a bit early to be asleep...Unless... _ "Doctor, has Kaiba woken up since the tournament?" Kenshin asked, trying to remember exactly how hard Battousai had hit him. 

"Oh, yes, he has. However he, unfortunately, didn't quite agree with my diagnosis and had to be sedated to keep from injuring himself further..." the doctor trailed off, looking a bit distressed at the memory. "We'll see how cooperative he is when he wakes up. He should be waking up shortly." 

It took a lot of control on Kenshin's part to keep from laughing. This would be an interesting stay in the hospital, indeed. 

"Well, I have to be going. I have other patients to attend to--ones that aren't bent on injuring themselves further," he said, looking at Kenshin. Kenshin just smiled. The doctor shook his head and left the room. 

//Well, it looks like we're going to be stuck here for awhile,// Battousai said, a little depressed. 

/Hai, but at least we have company this time,/ Kenshin said, trying to cheer up his darker half. It worked a little too well. 

//Oh yeah! We can torment Kaiba!// Battousai said, with glee. 

/That's not what I meant.../ Kenshin trailed off as he noticed a change in Kaiba's aura, signaling he was waking up. 

Sure enough, Kaiba started stirring and opened his eyes. Remembering what had happened, he started grumbling about stupid hospital staff in general. 

"They're not all that bad--you've just got to learn which ones to avoid," a cheerful voice said from beyond the curtain. Kaiba grabbed it and pulled it back, revealing a smiling Kenshin sitting there in the bed next to him. 

"Hello, Kaiba. You're finally awake, I see," Kenshin said, cheerfully. 

"I could say the same thing about you," Kaiba said. Kenshin's cheerful voice was already starting to grate on his nerves. "At least I didn't pass out on the way to the hospital. You hit me three times, but it appears I did more damage to you in that one hit than you did to me with the three," Kaiba smirked. He had over heard Yugi and his grandpa talking after Kenshin had been brought in. 

Kenshin shook his head. "Sorry, Kaiba, but I'm afraid that you can't take credit for my condition," he said, still smiling. Then his face took on a more serious look. "I received all these wounds from my master. You just managed to hit one of them during our fight. It was a different fight later on that re-opened the wound on my leg," Kenshin said, his voice much more serious than it had been a minute ago. 

Kaiba was a little surprised at the sudden change in the red-head, as well as the revelation about his wounds. It had to be pretty serious to land him in the hospital and, by the way the doctors talked, he would be here for at least a week. _His master gave him those wounds? _ Kaiba thought, a little surprised. He didn't allow any of his thoughts to show on his face, however. 

"Well, it sounds like I'm gonna be stuck with you for awhile, anyway," he said, looking out the window. It was already dark outside. Even though he had been sleeping earlier, he still felt tired. "Well, I hope you don't snore. I'm going to sleep." With that, he rolled over facing away from Kenshin. 

Kenshin smiled. "Good night, Kaiba." 

~*~ 

Kaiba woke up. He could see the moonlight streaming in his window, reaching the floor hallway between his and Kenshin's beds. His eyes rested on the figure in the bed next to him, and he determined that that was what had woken him up. Kenshin's face was scrunched up in an expression of pain. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead in the reflected moonlight. He was moving restlessly, talking in his sleep. Kaiba was about to yell at him to wake up and shut up, but then he heard what Kenshin was saying. 

"...please...I don't want to kill her...she wouldn't betray us...I don't believe it..." 

Kaiba's voice got caught in his throat. He suddenly remembered something he had read somewhere--dreamers never lie. He decided to listen awhile longer. 

"...Izuka must be wrong...Tomoe would never betray us...I can't kill her..." 

There was a pause, as if someone else was speaking. 

"...no, Battousai, you can't...don't make me kill her...no! Stop! No! _TOMOE! _" Kenshin screamed, sitting up suddenly. He cried out and fell back, clutching his side as tears fell unheeded down his cheeks. He gradually got his breathing under control after a few minutes, and the pain subsided as well. It was then that he noticed Kaiba was watching him. He smiled at the other teenager. "May I help you, Kaiba?" he asked, in his usual cheerful voice. 

Kaiba was a bit stunned at the transformation he had just witnessed. One minute Kenshin is crying and screaming, and the next he's Mr. Cheerful? Just then a nurse came into their room. 

"We heard someone scream, but we couldn't tell where it came from. Do either of you know?" she inquired. Kenshin just looked at her innocently and shook his head. She turned and exited the room. Kaiba just stared. 

Kenshin looked at him. "Is something wrong, Kaiba?" he inquired. 

Kaiba finally regained his composure. He stared at Kenshin coldly. "I don't appreciate being woken up in the middle of the night. You might want to keep your yelling down," he said, annoyed. 

Kenshin didn't seem fazed. "Gomen," he said, still smiling. 

Kaiba laid there for a few minutes. "Who's Tomoe?" he asked, softly. 

Kenshin stiffened. There was a long pause and then, "She was...my wife." 

Kaiba was utterly surprised. _Kenshin had a _wife_?! He's like, what, 15?! _ Kaiba then realized that Kenshin had used past tense. "Had? What happen to her? You two divorced?" he asked, hoping that what Kenshin had said in his sleep hadn't been true. 

"She's dead," came the reply in a cold voice. 

Kaiba pressed the matter further. "How?" 

Apparently, this was a very touchy subject for Kenshin. "She was killed by a murderer, alright?! Since when do you care so much, Kaiba?" Kenshin said, scathingly. Kaiba was surprised by the venom in Kenshin's voice, and decided to let the subject rest. Obviously, the one who murdered his wife was either himself, or this Battousai person. That name sounded vaguely familiar--where did he know it from? 

~*~ 

Kenshin had that dream again. He didn't know what triggered it, but he could almost feel the blood on his hands as he had watched her fall into his arms, his sword still protruding from her body. He had sat up too quickly, using muscles that shouldn't have been used, and sending a wave of white hot agony through his side to let him know that. He realized that he could still feel the blood on his hands, only this time it was his. It didn't matter--the nurses would change the bandage in the morning, anyway. He noticed Kaiba was staring at him. He put on his cheerful mask, as if pretending that nothing was wrong would make it go away. Then the nurse came. _So, I actually screamed this time? My control is really slipping... _ Kenshin decided that he was too tired to deal with any more tonight-- especially the questions that were sure to come from Kaiba-- and retreated to his soul room. Battousai could take control of the body or not-- Kenshin didn't care at this point. He sat down, leaning against the wall in his soul room, and went back to sleep. 

Battousai did decide to take control and tried to act like Kenshin, but quickly gave up as Kaiba proved to be more nosy than Battousai liked. After Kaiba had finally left him alone, Battousai retreated back to the Mask, allowing Kenshin to sleep in his soul room, while his body got the rest it needed as well. 

~*~ 


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not, have not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**Chapter 17**

The next morning, a new nurse entered the room. She had just started working there and she had been warned about the difficult patients she would be taking care of. "Good morning," she said, brightly, as she entered the room. 

"Good morning," Kenshin greeted her, also smiling. He doesn't seem like he'll be that much trouble, she thought, looking at the cheerful boy in front of her. She looked up in time to catch a pillow thrown from the other side of the room. _That one, however, may be more trouble than he's worth,_ she thought. 

Kaiba was not in a good mood. He disliked people waking him up before he was ready to get up, and he didn't sleep well the night before. First, there was Kenshin's nightmare and then he hadn't been able to sleep because of what Kenshin had said. All this combined to make him more than a little irritable this morning. An extremely cheerful nurse didn't help. Kenshin was bad enough. 

The nurse ignored Kaiba's mumbling and turned her attention back to Kenshin. "Well, I think it's about time to change your bandages, young man," she said, walking up to the side of his bed. Kenshin, for his part, smiled apologetically as he sat up. There was blood on the sheets. 

The nurse blinked in surprise. She glanced at the clipboard hanging at the end of his bed. "It says here that your wounds shouldn't be bleeding. What did you do?" she asked, as she removed the bandage on his side and started cleaning the wound. 

"I had a rather unpleasant dream about the past last night, and I'm afraid I sat up a little too quickly," he admitted, wincing as she found a few particularly tender areas. 

Kaiba, hearing Kenshin's admission, stopped muttering. _Kenshin was dreaming about the past? So, either he or this Battousai person really did kill his wife..._ Kaiba thought to himself. 

Kenshin was a little too preoccupied with the not-quite-gentle nurse to notice the affect his statement had on Kaiba. Battousai, however, did. //Kenshin, I think we should be careful with what we say around Kaiba,// Battousai warned. 

Kenshin was a little surprised at the statement. /Why?/ he asked. 

//Apparently, you were also talking in your sleep. I don't know what you said, but Kaiba heard you. He asked about Tomoe last night, after you went to your soul room, and I told him she was our wife. He was asking a lot of questions, and right now your statement about your dream interested him as well. I think he may know too much already,// Battousai explained, darkly. He did not like not knowing how much Kaiba had heard. //While we're in the hospital, I think that I will stay awake when you sleep, in case you have any more nightmares. If you do, I will take over the body and you can dream in your soul room. There's no need to give Kaiba any more information about us.// 

Kenshin agreed. He wouldn't accidentally injure himself further when woke up that way. The nurse finished bandaging the wound on his side. 

"Did any of the other ones start bleeding again?" she asked. 

"No, just that one." 

She proceeded to re-bandage all of his other wounds, and then came the time to change his sheets. Kenshin started to get out of bed so she could do so. 

"What are you doing?!" she practically yelled at him, keeping him on the bed. 

Kenshin looked at her. "You need to change the sheets, so I thought that I'd move out of the way for you," he explained, like it was obvious. 

"Kenshin, sweetie, if you want your wounds to heal, you're gonna have to stay in bed. You can't be walking around on that leg," she said, pointing to his right leg. 

Kenshin looked a little confused. "But, how are you going to change the sheets if I don't get out of bed?" he inquired. He was trying to make her job a little easier for her. 

She just smiled. "You'll see. I have to go and get some clean bedding. I'll be right back," she said, disappearing through the door. A few minutes later she returned with the bedding and a tall, muscular man walking behind her. She put the bedding on a table, and motioned towards Kenshin. The tall man strode forward quickly, picking Kenshin up. Apparently, he thought that Kenshin was much heavier than he looked, because he used too much strength when lifting the redhead off the bed. The end result being that Kenshin was tossed up in the air accidentally. Kenshin, surprised at being picked up in the first place, let out a surprised cry as he felt himself being tossed up in the air. Thankfully, the man caught him, and Kenshin reflexively clung to his neck to help keep him from making the same mistake twice. That had really got the adrenaline pumping, causing Kenshin to tremble slightly in the larger man's grasp. 

"Although I am perfectly capable of standing on my own, I would really rather you not throw me in the air if you insist on picking me up," Kenshin said, his voice shaking slightly. 

The man looked genuinely sorry for what he had just done. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were that light," he said, apologetically. 

Kaiba, who had been watching the entire time, suddenly found it very difficult to breathe. He had seen the looks on Kenshin's face; first, when he had been picked up and then when he had realized that he was airborne. It was priceless. Kaiba was laughing so hard that his broken collarbone had begun to throb painfully, but he didn't care. Not even the pain could contain his mirth. It was funny enough, Kenshin having to be held while they changed his bedding, but this! This was an added bonus, and Kaiba was going to make sure he enjoyed it thoroughly. 

The nurse, somewhat stunned by what had happened, took a moment to recover. She changed the bedding quickly, and motioned for her companion to follow her, bringing Kenshin. 

"Wait a minute! Where are you taking me?" Kenshin asked, a little apprehensive. Kaiba quieted his laughing enough so that he, too, could hear. 

"Well, I can't put you back into your nice, clean bed wearing bloody clothes, can I? You need a bath," she said, simply. 

"Uh, I uh, I don't suppose you'd be willing to let me take a bath by myself?" Kenshin asked in a small voice. 

"Heavens, no! You'd only injure yourself more!" 

"Oro..." 

Kaiba couldn't contain himself any longer. He burst out laughing once again as Kenshin was carried out of the room. 

~*~ 

About twenty minutes later, a very embarrassed Kenshin was carried back into the hospital room and put back into bed. Kenshin noticed Kaiba smirking at him. "Enjoy your bath?" the taller boy inquired. 

Kenshin just smiled back, as if he knew something Kaiba didn't. "Not as much as I'm sure you'll enjoy yours," Kenshin said, grinning almost evilly. Before Kaiba could respond, the muscular nurse had picked up the CEO and started walking out of the room. 

"What are you doing?! I can walk! Where are you taking me?!" Kaiba demanded, furiously. Kenshin was trying hard not to laugh. 

The smaller nurse turned to Kaiba. "As Kenshin said, it's your turn for a bath. Walking might jar your collarbone, and you can't bathe yourself with that injury. The risk of injuring yourself more is too great. So, I might as well get both your baths out of the way right now," she explained, as she turned and continued walking. Her taller companion followed, carrying the loudly protesting Kaiba. 

Unable to contain himself any longer, both Kenshin and Battousai burst out laughing. //Oh, this is going to be a fun week, indeed,// Battousai said. 

~*~ 

After Kaiba had returned, clean, he had taken to sulking and shooting death glares at Kenshin as if it was all his fault. Kenshin supposed that in a way, it was. He _had_ suggested to the nurse that she might as well give Kaiba his bath then, as opposed to later. And, Kenshin was the reason that Kaiba was in the hospital in the first place, after all. 

Battousai wanted to come out and torment Kaiba some more, but Kenshin was feeling a little sympathetic toward his roommate. He decided to try and cheer him up. 

"Kaiba, are you alright?" Kenshin asked in his normal, cheerful voice. 

Kaiba glared at him. "While you may enjoy other people giving you a bath, I have never been so violated in my entire life! Of course, I'm not okay!" Kaiba spat. He was not in the mood to talk, and Kenshin's cheerful voice was irritating him even further. 

Kenshin was silent for a moment, and then he decided to change the subject. "So, Yugi told me that you're the president of Kaiba Corporations. What do you do?" Kenshin asked, trying to make small talk. 

"I design holographic software for Duel Monsters," Kaiba said, not sure why he was answering Kenshin's questions. 

"Duel Monsters? Oh! I've heard Yugi talk about it. Are you any good?" It was an innocent enough question on Kenshin's part, but it was a sore subject for Kaiba. 

He just scowled at Kenshin. It was bad enough that Kenshin was a constant reminder of Kaiba's most recent failure, and now he has to rub Kaiba's nose in the fact that Yugi beat him at Duel Monsters. Worst yet, Kenshin was pretending not to know that the World Champion of Duel Monsters had lost to some nobody like Yugi! Kaiba was seething at his perceived insults. 

Kenshin, for his part was confused. He could tell by Kaiba's aura that the taller boy was becoming furious with him, but Kenshin couldn't for the life of him figure out why. /What did I say?/ He asked Battousai, confused. 

//Don't know, but keep doing it! You just seem to have that effect on him. Whatever you say makes him mad, for some reason. This is even more fun than insulting him myself!// Battousai said, clearly enjoying himself. 

Kenshin decided to try and remedy the situation. "Are you okay? Did I say something to offend you?" Kenshin asked. 

Kaiba lost it. "You're really something else, you know that, Kenshin? First you humiliate me on National Television at the tournament, put me in the hospital for more than a week; somehow become my roommate, forcibly reminding me of my defeat; convince the nurse that it's my turn for her to give me a bath, remind me again of my defeat against Yugi--not once, but twice--while pretending that you don't know, and then you have the gall to ask me if I'M ALRIGHT?!" Kaiba exploded. He felt marginally better, but he was still very upset. 

Kenshin was shocked. He'd caught about half of what Kaiba had accused him of. Battousai was laughing hysterically. 

Just then, the doctor walked into the room. He had heard Kaiba yelling; but, as it seemed that they had worked it out on their own, he didn't say anything about it. He walked over to Kenshin. 

"I heard you opened your wound again, young man. The nurse said you had a nightmare and sat up too fast?" the doctor inquired. 

"Hai. Gomen, it won't happen again," Kenshin replied. 

"We didn't want to go back and put more stitches in it, but if this continues, we may have to do that. Do you understand? You need to keep that wound closed," the doctor berated him, trying to convey the importance of keeping the wound closed. 

"Hai," Kenshin had the decency to look ashamed. 

"Good." With that, the doctor turned and left the room. 

Kaiba felt a little better that Kenshin had gotten in trouble, but not much. After all, it wasn't Kenshin's fault he had that dream. 

~*~ 

Later that day, Yugi and Mokuba both stopped by after school. Mokuba immediately ran over to Kaiba's bed, while Yugi walked over to Kenshin's a little more calmly, but not much. 

"Oh, Kenshin! You're awake! Grandpa's been worried. You passed out in the car and then, when we came to visit you yesterday, they said you still hadn't woken up," Yugi said, sounding more than a little worried himself. Kenshin smiled reassuringly. 

Across the room, Mokuba was having mixed feelings. Normally, he would take his brother's side, no matter what the circumstances. But, even though Seto had only hit Kenshin once, Kenshin's wounds seemed more severe than the wound he had given Seto. Mokuba almost felt that Kenshin hadn't wounded Seto enough to equal their injuries. But, then again, any injury to his brother was too much in Mokuba's mind. His eyes slid over to Kenshin once again... 

Mokuba shook his head. _He didn't need to do that to my brother,_ Mokuba told himself firmly. He turned his attention back to Kaiba. "How are you feeling, Seto?" he asked. 

Kaiba smiled at him. "I'm fine, squirt. The company could be better, but..." he said, loud enough for both Kenshin and Yugi to hear. 

Kenshin, not wanting to upset Kaiba again, decided to allow Battousai to give it a shot. _Maybe he'll have the opposite effect as well,_ Kenshin thought as he retreated to his soul room. 

Yugi, who had been watching Kenshin, started in surprise as Kenshin blinked. It wasn't much the act of blinking, as it was the fact that when Kenshin closed his eyes, they were soft lavender. When he opened them, they had turned into a mocking amber. \That was kinda creepy. Well, not so much creepy, I mean the eyes _are_ really creepy, but I just wasn't expecting that,\ Yugi said. 

\\Would you like me to come out? I doubt he's going to do anything, but if it would make you feel better...\\ Yami offered. 

\No, but I must say I'm a little surprised. You sound like you actually *gasp* trust him!\ Yugi mocked, teasing his darker half. 

\\He saved both you and me from Bakura's attack--one of the reasons he's back in the hospital. If that doesn't merit trust, then I don't know what does,\\ Yami said, seriously. Yugi had to agree. 

Battousai looked casually over at Kaiba. "If you don't like the company, then you should have thought about that before you got injured. Oh, wait! I suppose that wasn't your choice, was it? How silly of me to forget," Battousai said, putting his hand to his chest in mock embarrassment. 

Kaiba glared back. "At least I wasn't stupid enough to fight when I still had injuries that weren't healed completely and land back in the hospital because of them," Kaiba said, smirking at Kenshin. 

Battousai just smiled. "Oh, no, you were definitely smarter than that. Instead, you allowed an _injured _opponent to defeat you, sending you to the hospital. Oh, yes, Kaiba, that is definitely something to brag about," Battousai agreed. 

Yugi and Mokuba looked back and forth between the two injured teenagers. This was getting ugly real quick. 

"At least I don't have the souls of murdered people haunting me," Kaiba said, throwing the insult blindly. It hit home. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Battousai demanded, all of the humor in his voice gone. 

"I heard you talking in your sleep last night--crying, really._ Please, don't make me! No, she would never betray me!"_ Kaiba mocked, mimicking Kenshin's higher voice. "Now, let me see, what was her name? Oh, yes, I remember now--Tomoe, was it? She haunts you, doesn't she? Is she seeking revenge, perhaps?" Kaiba said casually, probing deeper into Kenshin's wound. 

Battousai made eye contact with Kaiba, who shivered despite himself. There was so much raw anguish in those eyes, mixed with barely contained anger, that Kaiba actually flinched. He almost regretted making the remark-- almost. 

"Don't presume to judge me, Kaiba. You know nothing!" Battousai whispered, his voice low and cold. It was almost as if his cold voice had drawn all the warmth out of the room, sending a chill down everyone's spines. The cold expression on his face contrasted with the fire raging in his eyes. Everyone stood transfixed, waiting to see what would happen next. 

Suddenly, Kenshin blinked, breaking the spell. When he opened his eyes, they were once again a warm violet, and the warmth seemed to return to the room with them. He looked again at Kaiba with incredible sorrow in his eyes. 

"You should not speak so flippantly of such things until you understand every aspect concerning them," Kenshin said, sadly. Kaiba stared. The sudden change in Kenshin surprised him. Looking into Kenshin's sorrowful eyes, he did regret making that comment. Kenshin was right, after all, but Kaiba would not admit that. 

He turned away. There was an awkward silence, and then both Yugi and Mokuba decided it was time to leave. Yugi promised Kenshin that he'd come back later with Grandpa, and then they left, leaving the two adolescents alone with their thoughts. 


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not, have not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**WARNING! SPOILERS FOR SAMURAI X: TRUST AND BETRAYAL**

**Chapter 18**

Yugi and Mokuba walked out of the hospital in silence, each consumed by their thoughts, which were surprisingly similar in nature. 

_What did Kaiba mean by that? Tomoe haunts Kenshin, looking for revenge? But, Kenshin hasn't killed anyone--has he? I know the Battousai has, but the Bakumatsu was over 100 years ago! And it seemed like it was a pretty sore topic for both Kenshin and Battousai... I wonder who Tomoe was? Is she even dead? Kaiba made it sound that way, but he might have heard wrong--I mean, Kenshin was asleep after all... _ Yugi's thoughts were leading him in circles. With a sigh, he decided that this topic would have to wait until he could discuss it with Kenshin. 

He and Mokuba reached the entrance to the hospital. They walked outside, Mokuba going over to the limo that was waiting for him. He stopped when he got to the vehicle and turned to Yugi. "You want a ride? I can drop you off by your place on the way," he offered. 

Yugi shook his head. "No, thanks, but I'd prefer to walk," Yugi declined, shaking his head. Mokuba shrugged, and got into the limo. Yugi watched as they pulled away, then turned and started home. 

~*~ 

Grandpa smiled as he saw Yugi walk in the game shop. It was a little later than the time Yugi normally got home, so he figured that Yugi had stopped by the hospital to check on Kenshin. 

"Hello, Yugi. How was school today?" Grandpa asked. 

Yugi looked up as if he had only then realized that Grandpa was there. "Oh, fine, I guess. I stopped by the hospital to see Kenshin," Yugi replied. 

Grandpa nodded. "And how is my other stubborn grandson doing?" he asked. 

Yugi smiled at that remark. "He's fine. He actually woke up last night. I told him you'd probably be coming to visit after you closed the shop," Yugi said. 

Grandpa nodded. He looked at the clock. "I'll close in about an hour. We can have a quick dinner, and then we'll go see him." 

Yugi nodded, heading towards his room. He dropped his bag on the floor and flopped on the bed. He lay there for a few minutes, then--after more than a little prodding from Yami--started his homework. 

~*~ 

Kenshin laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling. Grandpa and Yugi had come back, but they'd only been able to stay a few minutes because visiting hours were over. Kaiba hadn't said another word to Kenshin all afternoon. Kenshin wasn't sure what to make of the silence. He tried reading Kaiba's aura--the taller boy was confused about something. This, in turn, confused Kenshin. 

_ What would Kaiba have to be confused about? It seems that his confusion has to do with himself, but that doesn't make sense, _ Kenshin thought. He turned his thoughts inward. /Battousai,/ Kenshin called, softly. 

//What do you want?// came the annoyed reply. 

Kenshin sighed. Battousai had been in a particularly foul mood since Kaiba's remark. Kenshin wasn't exactly sure why he was so upset._ If he didn't want Tomoe to die, then why did he strike her? He knew that was a killing stroke--he was trying to kill his opponent! _ Kenshin wondered briefly. 

/You needn't take your anger out on me,/ Kenshin said, in a calming voice. 

//Well, if you haven't noticed, there's nothing else for me to take it out on. You won't let me at Kaiba, and it's not going away, so you're all that's left. Deal with it,// came the angry reply. 

Kenshin sighed again. It was going to be a long night. 

~*~ 

Kaiba, for his part, was confused. He had been trading insults with Kenshin, when he had suddenly hit a little too close to home. He had known that it was a tender subject to be left alone, but he had probed deeper anyway. And, then he had gotten the response that he wanted out of Kenshin. Why, then did he feel bad about it? Why did he feel guilty for bringing that up? There had been so much sorrow, so much anguish in Kenshin's eyes--but, that's what he wanted, right? That's what he was trying to do, right? Then, why did he feel so guilty for causing Kenshin so much pain? 

~*~ 

After another hour of doing nothing but staring at the ceiling, Kenshin decided it was time to go to sleep. 

/Battousai, I'm going to my soul room to go to sleep now,/ Kenshin told his yami. Battousai said nothing, so Kenshin assumed that he didn't mind. Kenshin entered his soul room, eyeing the bed. He then shook his head, walked over to the wall, sat down, and fell asleep. 

~*~ 

_Kenshin was walking through a forest in the snow. He was following a set of footprints in the fresh powder. He felt something warm running down his left cheek. He felt it with his right hand. It was his scar. It was bleeding again, only there was just the vertical slash. The other one was missing. Looking down, Kenshin saw that he had a blue ribbon clutched tightly in his left hand. He was also dressed in his Ishin Shishi uniform with his swords at his waist. Kenshin also took note of the fact that he couldn't move his body. It was walking forward, and all Kenshin could do was watch. He felt determined and betrayed, but it took him a minute to realize that these emotions weren't his. They were Battousai's. _ I must be in Battousai's dream, _ Kenshin thought. Battousai continued onward through the forest. _

_Suddenly, someone ran up behind them. Battousai turned and brought his sword up, barely in time to counter the attack. His assailant jumped back, throwing a small arrow as he did so. Battousai was too slow to react, and the arrow buried itself deep in his right shoulder. Battousai's vision blurred as he fell to his knees, his attacker jumping out of his field of vision. Battousai clutched the arrow and pulled, flinging it away from him as soon as he had removed it from his body. He remained on the ground as his opponent rushed at him again. Three more arrows came flying, but Battousai deflected these. His attacker drew his sword, and thrust it at Battousai. Battousai went under the attack, pushing his own sword through his opponent's heart. His would-be killer staggered back, off Battousai's blade. Blood poured from his wound, and he would be dead shortly. He stumbled away from Battousai, using his sword as a cane. He had only traveled a few feet before he fell to the ground. Suddenly, there was a large explosion off to Battousai's left. The sound was deafening in Kenshin's ears. He couldn't hear his own breathing, and when he put his hand to his ear, it came back red, with his own blood. Kenshin stared. _What's going on here?! This isn't what happened that day! _Kenshin cried out, confused, but nobody heard him. Battousai walked on. _

_After a few minutes, Battousai saw a large man standing on the path before him. The man was holding a large ax. He ran at Battousai, swinging the ax. The red-haired boy jumped out of the way, and the ax-man swung again. This time, Battousai blocked with his sword, but his opponent was stronger than he was, and pushed him back. Battousai ran into a tree. Suddenly, steel claws plunged down from the tree into the top of his right shoulder and twisted, before being ripped back out. Battousai cried out in pain and surprise, clutching his wound and turning his head to see who was in the tree. He looked back just in time to see the ax coming towards the tree. He ducked as the ax embedded itself in the bark where his neck had been seconds before. _

_ Battousai jumped away from the tree. The man wrenched his ax out of the tree, and ran at Battousai, swinging his ax before him. "Tomoe," the hitokiri whispered as he jumped back out of the way, only to feel the sharp metal claws rake across his back. "Tomoe," he whispered again, sounding more like a plea this time. He staggered forward towards the approaching ax-wielding man, falling to his knees in front of him. The man raised his ax above his head, while the man behind Battousai raised his metal claw. Suddenly, the boy jumped to his feet, pushing his katana through the ax-man's throat and his wakizashi through the metal claw behind him. He pulled his katana out as the man stumbled back, but the wakizashi was ripped from his hand as the man with the metal claw took off running through the forest. _

_ The larger man turned and fell forward, grabbing something in the snow. Battousai watched him closely. He saw the explosion go off, killing the dying man, before his vision went white. He closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the pain to pass. After a few minutes, he could open his right eye without too much pain, but his vision was blurry at best. He felt more of the warm liquid running down his face and knew that his left eye was bleeding as well. _Is this what really happened? I knew about the fights and the explosions, but I had a clear view from the Mask, so I didn't think anything of them. I thought that Battousai was as distracted as I was, so he wasn't fighting to the best of his ability. I wasn't in any better condition, so I let him do as he pleased. If I hadn't insisted on sulking in the Mask, I would have known, _Kenshin thought. _But would it have made any difference? _Battousai continued onward, his determination still strong even though his body had been weakened. _

_They walked for several minutes. At one point, Battousai fell. He was able to pick himself up off the ground, but he was now using his sword as a cane. It was now snowing and the wind blew, cold and biting. After what seemed like an eternity, they came to what appeared to be a hut. That blur of color before him--yes, that was his opponent. He heard something very garbled. Was the other man trying to speak? Battousai let the other man talk, trying to regain a little of the strength he had lost along the way. All too soon the man was finished and attacked. Battousai fell forward, inconspicuously changing his grip on the katana. When he thought the man was in striking distance, he quickly pulled his sword from its sheath, swinging it in a wide arc hoping to hit the man. However, his impaired senses made him misjudge the distance drastically. He swung before the man was in range, leaving himself wide open to the attack that followed. The man punched Battousai, catching him under the chin and sending him reeling backwards. Battousai caught himself, and rushed forward, swinging his sword blindly. His vision was starting to clear, but not nearly enough. He was also rapidly losing his strength. This was proved when the man blocked his katana with his a metal arm guard. Normally, Battousai could have sliced through the man's arm, guard and all. Now, however, it stopped the blade. The man punched the hitokiri again, catching him at an angle and causing him to spin three times before he hit the ground. _

_ This made Battousai a little disoriented, delaying his reaction time. The man walked over, picking him up by the back of his gi, and punched him in the stomach. The red-haired boy somehow managed to remain standing, and felt another blow connect with the injury on his back. He staggered to the side and turned around to face his opponent. He looked up in time to see the man's palm just before it connected with his face, sending him reeling backwards once again. The hitokiri rushed forward, swinging his sword, but the arm guards blocked it once again. The man then grabbed Battousai around the neck and swung him around, flinging him across the clearing. Battousai landed hard on his side, momentarily stunned. When no new attack came, Battousai slowly and painfully pulled himself to his feet. He knew this would be the last attack. _

_He drew a deep breath and vocalized all of his anger and frustration in a war cry as he rushed forward. He knew he wouldn't survive this attack. He could barely make out his opponent in front of him. He was also rushing forward. Battousai closed his eyes as he continued rushing forward. This was it. Suddenly Kenshin heard his own voice. /No! Stop! You can't! You'll kill Tomoe!/ _He didn't know she was there, _Kenshin realized. He could feel Battousai's thoughts as if they were his own. Battousai was doing this to save Tomoe. It didn't matter if he died, Tomoe would live. He felt his blade connect and continue through his target. He didn't notice the extra resistance as his sword cut through two bodies instead of one until he smelled it. It was her perfume--white plum. She was somewhere nearby. He started to open his eyes, noticing that his vision had improved dramatically. _

_ Suddenly, Battousai found himself back in his soul room. Kenshin had forcibly taken control of the body. But why? He looked out through the Mask's eye's to find out. There, cradled in Kenshin's arms, was the dying body of his wife. He watched as her life's blood poured out of her. She raised her dagger to his cheek, tracing a line perpendicular to his first scar. His bloody tear fell on her cheek. _

_"...forgive...my love...please...forgive me..." Tomoe whispered. Her hand fell to her side, still clutching the dagger as her entire body went limp. Kenshin, who had been thrown in Battousai's soul room when the dream Kenshin had kicked them out of his mind, turned to look at Battousai. His twin sat transfixed, staring at the scene before him. His eyes were wide, a look of horror marring his features. He just sat there, staring in shock at what he had just done. _

~*~ 

Kenshin awoke with a start. He was in his soul room. He could feel a myriad of emotions flow through the link he shared with Battousai--pain, sorrow, and anger being the most prominent. He would have to return to his body for this conversation. He may share his body with Battousai but no one, not even Kenshin, ever saw the hitokiri cry. And right now Kenshin was pretty sure that was what he was doing. Kenshin returned to his body. 

/Battousai,/ he called, softly. Kenshin gave him a moment to compose himself. /I know you're awake./ 

//What do you want?!// came the snarled response. 

Kenshin countered with a question of his own. /Is that what really happened?/ he asked. 

//Is _what_ what really happened?// Battousai asked, annoyed. He wished his hikari would leave him be right now. He wasn't in the mood to play Twenty Questions with Kenshin. 

/Your dream. Is that what really happened, that day?/ Kenshin asked, again. 

There was a pause. //You saw?// Battousai asked, all the anger gone from his voice. 

Kenshin nodded, although he knew Battousai couldn't see him. /Yes. I saw what happened through your eyes. I... I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me?/ 

Battousai snorted. //Would you have believed me?// 

/I suppose not,/ Kenshin admitted a bit sheepishly, /I was too upset after she died, and later I would have just thought you were making up excuses. I'm sorry. I didn't realize she meant that much to you, as well./ 

//Yeah, well, it's a thing of the past. She's a thing of the past. Let me see, how did you put it? Oh, yes. You said, and I quote, _What's done is done, and neither you, nor I, can change that._// 

Kenshin flinched at hearing his own words flung back in his face. But, he had to admit, he deserved that. /I'm sorry. If I would've stopped sulking and come out of the Mask, I would have known. Things might have turned out different. If I had communicated better, I could have helped you during the fights. I could still see out of the Mask. I should have done something. It's just as much my fault that she's gone as it is yours. I could have warned you. I was stupid to not realize what was going on. The explosions--I should have figured it out. You weren't upset enough to miscalculate your attacks so drastically. I should have realized it and helped you. I'm sorry./ 

Battousai was silent, so Kenshin decided he might as well try and go back to sleep. /I'm returning to my soul room now./ 

Kenshin walked back into his room and, deciding the bed looked much more inviting than the floor, he walked over and slid into bed. He curled up under the covers, letting his mind drift. Just before sleep claimed him, he thought he heard his door open softly. He heard a very familiar voice whisper something. 

//Thank you.// 

/You're welcome,/ Kenshin murmured, his last conscious thought before he fell asleep. 


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: (see previous 18 chapters--it's there it black and white). 

**Chapter 19**

The rest of the night passed fairly quickly, and in the morning Kenshin was in a better mood than he had been the previous night. Kaiba, however, had still not resolved his feelings. He wasn't sure if Kenshin was upset with him for what he had said last night and it frustrated him that he should care what other people thought of him. He decided to let Kenshin make the first move. 

Kenshin, noticing Kaiba was awake, decided to do what he always did-- pretend it didn't happen, unless Kaiba said otherwise. So, he looked toward his roommate's bed and smiled. "Good morning, Kaiba. Did you sleep well?" 

_So he's acting like nothing happened, is he? Well, I suppose it works out better this way... _ Kaiba thought to himself. "Yes, you weren't muttering in your sleep all night." Mentally, Kaiba smacked himself. All night he was regretting saying those things to Kenshin, and now what's the first thing to come out of his mouth? _I guess old habits are hard to break. _Kaiba thought, bitterly, referring to his habit of insulting everyone. 

Kenshin just kept smiling. "Yes, didn't have any more disturbing dreams," /Although Battousai did,/ Kenshin added silently. 

//Hey, I didn't invite you to eavesdrop on my memories. You did that on your own. Besides, it's not like YOU never dream about the past,// Battousai said, a little testily. He didn't like people seeing him in his moments of weakness, even if that person was his other half. 

Kenshin jumped imperceptibly. He hadn't realized he had sent that thought to Battousai. /Gomen,/ he apologized. /I didn't realize that I said that where you could hear it. I didn't mean anything by it./ The last thing Kenshin needed was Battousai angry at him again. 

"Kenshin? Are you listening?" 

Kenshin jumped again, realizing that someone was talking to him. He glanced up to see Dr. Kagarashi looking at him strangely. "Hai?" Kenshin asked, trying to act normal. 

"Are you feeling alright?" Dr. Kagarashi asked. He had been trying to get Kenshin's attention for two minutes. Kenshin didn't have any head injuries that he knew of; but, then again, Kenshin most likely wouldn't tell them if he did. It might be a good idea to run a CAT scan on him later... 

Kenshin saw that the doctor thought that something else was wrong with him because of his lack of response. His mind raced to come up with something. "Hai, I'm alright. I was just thinking about something, and I may have been drifting back off to sleep. It is rather early, you know," Kenshin lied, hoping he was convincing enough. 

The doctor, realizing his mistake, laughed at himself. After all, it was 6:30 in the morning. Most teenagers didn't wake up until 9:00 or 10:00 if they were allowed to sleep in. He dismissed his previous suspicions and brought his attention back to the reason he had come. "Well, Kenshin, I hope you were a bit more careful with your injuries? Did you re-open any of them?" he asked, preparing a lecture if Kenshin's answer wasn't what it was supposed to be. 

Kenshin smiled. "No, none of them have been re-opened." 

Dr. Kagarashi also smiled. "So, you're finally starting to see things our way, eh?" he joked. 

"Well, the sooner I'm healed, the sooner I re-gain my freedom." 

"Well, just keep that in mind for the next few days. Remember, no walking around until Thursday," Dr. Kagarashi reminded as he exited the room. 

Kenshin sighed. Not only was he on strict bed rest, but now he had to be careful when talking to Battousai as well. He didn't want to be here any longer than necessary and if they thought he had mental problems...Well, he didn't want to think about what they did to crazy people in this time. 

Kaiba had watched Kenshin the entire time. He was starting to become intrigued by this young redhead. Kenshin was obviously prone to violent mood swings. One minute he's crying in despair, and the next he's happy and carefree. And then there were his eyes. Normally, they're violet. But last night when they were throwing insults back and forth, and during their fight, they had shifted to amber. Then there were also the periods of time when Kenshin would just zone out. Kaiba was beginning to think that Kenshin had one or more mental disorders. He might have multiple personalities - that would explain the mood swings - but usually the base personality wouldn't know what happened while another personality was in control. Kenshin had no such gaps in his memory. Also, the different personalities usually took on a different name. Kenshin hadn't done that, so Kaiba ruled out that possibility. But then, how did you explain it? Kaiba was starting to get a headache, so he left the subject for another time. 

~*~ 

Tuesday passed rather quickly, but by Wednesday Kaiba was tired of laying in bed. Kenshin had thought about taking a walk when he felt the all too familiar aura of his not so favorite nurse. She had checked on them many times in the past few days, having had Kenshin as a previous patient and learning that Kaiba followed rules about as well as Kenshin did. She had scolded them time and again for doing things they weren't supposed to do (not much you can do when you're not to leave your bed). Unfortunately for Kaiba, he couldn't tell who was around him by reading their auras. He got out of bed. 

"Kaiba, what are you doing?" Kenshin asked although he already knew the answer. 

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm taking a walk," Kaiba said, walking across the room. 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Kenshin warned. 

Kaiba glared at him. "I will do what I please, when I please. No one can order me around," Kaiba snapped, annoyed. Kenshin had tried to break the rules as many times as Kaiba. Why was he suddenly acting like this? Kaiba brushed it off and walked toward the door. 

//Just let him go. He's not gonna listen to you anyway, and besides I'm bored. Let's just sit back and watch.// 

Kenshin gave up. Battousai was right. Besides, it would be fun to watch someone else get in trouble for a change. "Don't say I didn't warn you." 

Kaiba snorted and walked out of the door. Kenshin waited. /Three...two ...one.../ 

"MR. KAIBA!" 

/Right on time!/ Kenshin said, laughing. He tried very hard to keep a straight face while Kaiba was brought back into the room. 

~*~ 

Unfortunately for Kenshin, the nurse's shift didn't end until that night when he was too tired to walk around and just wanted to go back to sleep. He did, however, get a quick stroll around the hospital earlier, so it made waiting a little more bearable. 

/Oh, well, at least we can walk around tomorrow regardless of whether or not she's here,/ he said. 

//Finally! Out of this bed! I swear, they put her here just to make sure we followed the rules! // Battousai said, a little annoyed. What good were rules if you couldn't break them? 

/That was probably their reasoning. Well, tomorrow we gain back a little of our freedom./ 

They talked for a little while more while Kaiba watched. He still couldn't figure out Kenshin. He seemed to know things that he couldn't have known. He had known each and every time the nurse was in the hallway. Kaiba had tested that theory several times until the nurse threatened to tie him to the bed if she caught him walking around again. The strange thing was, Kenshin had told him when it was okay to walk around for a little bit. Kaiba, wanting to test the theory, had walked around expecting to be caught. The nurse, however had been on her lunch break and no one else hindered him. Kenshin had even gone with him and had told him to hide in a maintenance closet just before Dr. Kagarashi had come around the corner. Kaiba was surprised, to say the least. Kenshin was a very mysterious person. 

~*~ 

Thursday came, and the doctor said that Kenshin's wounds were healed enough for him to walk, and he could even be released. He reminded Kenshin yet again not to re-open the wound on his side. The wounds on his arms and left leg were little more than scars now. His right leg was not far behind them in the healing process and his side was the same as the first time he left the hospital. Grandpa and Yugi, who had been visiting Kenshin every afternoon, had been informed of Kenshin's possible early release but had not told him in case it had to be moved back. Grandpa came to pick him up alone, as Yugi was already at school. Grandpa decided that Kenshin would stay home Friday and maybe start school again on Monday. 

Meanwhile, Yugi was excited as he tried to pay attention in class. They were still studying the Bakumatsu and it seemed that the most prominent people, aside from the leaders, were the hitokiris and the captains of a group called the Shinsengumi. The teacher made it all sound so boring, but Yugi was sure Kenshin would ace this test. After all, he only had to ask his yami! Yugi wanted to talk to Battousai and hear first hand of what it was like. Battousai must have been good if they were still talking about his legend over 100 years later! Yugi wondered if Kenshin had ever asked Battousai about it. _Well, he comes home today, so I can finally ask him! _Yugi thought, excitedly. Ever since the incident in the park, Yugi had been dying to interrogate Kenshin. Kaiba was always in the room, though, and Yugi wasn't even sure if he knew about Yami. Besides, Kenshin tried very hard to keep it a secret and Yugi wasn't about to go and tell everyone now that he knew. That was up to Kenshin. 

At lunch, Ryou noticed that Yugi was a little more cheerful and energetic than normal. 

"Wow, Yugi, you sure are excited today. What's going on?" Ryou asked. 

Yugi smiled at him. "Kenshin should be getting released from the hospital today!" Yugi told them excitedly. 

"Hey, man, that's great! Ya know, we should all go over to Yug's house after school, to welcome him home," Joey suggested. 

"I think that's a great idea! I kinda feel bad for never going to see him in the hospital, but I'm free this afternoon, so I'll be there!" Tea said, catching the spreading excitement. 

"Yeah, we don't got detention yet and, if we're careful for the rest of the day, me and Joey will also be free for the afternoon," Tristan said, while Joey nodded his agreement. 

Ryou looked a little worried. He didn't remember anything from halfway through Kaiba and Kenshin's fight until he woke up in the park later. He had watched the conclusion of the fight (Tea had taped it and lent it to Ryou), but he also knew his yami had done something afterwards. He hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Yugi about it, and he wasn't sure how well Kenshin would receive him. After all, Bakura had attacked Kenshin not only once, but twice. And from what Ryou had seen from the tournament and Bakura's repeated failures, Ryou did not want to be on Kenshin's bad side. 

Yugi seemed to notice Ryou's reluctance to accept the invitation and he guessed at the reason. Yugi caught Ryou's eyes and motioned outside. They managed to slip away unnoticed and walked over to a secluded bench where no one would hear them talking. Yugi turned to Ryou. "So, what exactly do you remember from Saturday?" Yugi asked. 

"I was sitting next to you watching the fight between Kaiba and Kenshin. Kenshin had the advantage; Kaiba could not seem to hit him. The next thing I know, I'm on the ground in the park. Tea recorded the tournament and I borrowed the tape from her, so I know what happened in the fight. I told her that I wanted to watch it again. But, I don't know what took place afterwards. What happened?" Ryou asked, a little confused. 

"Well, Yami came out after Bakura, and we lost him in the crowd. Yami went outside to wait for Kenshin and saw him exit through a side entrance and walk deeper into the park. We were confused, so we followed him. But, it was weird. He knew we were there. He stopped and asked why we were following him. He also knew that Yami was in control of my body. I don't know how, but he knew. And what's more, apparently Bakura had followed as well, but I didn't know. Kenshin knew he was there and he also knew when he was going to attack. He pushed me out of the way, and then ran up to Bakura so fast I couldn't even see him and knocked him out. That's why you woke up in the park. Kenshin re-opened the wound on his leg when he saved me and that's part of the reason why he's in the hospital again. Grandpa saw that it was bleeding when we got home and they wanted to keep Kenshin for a few days because he had lost so much blood when we were walking home," Yugi explained. He didn't mention anything about Battousai because Bakura might be able to use that against Kenshin somehow and also it was obvious that Kenshin didn't want anyone to know. 

Ryou was silent as he let it sink in. "I thought that Bakura had tried something. I'm sorry Kenshin had to go to the hospital because of it. I don't think that he would want to see me tonight," Ryou said, sadly. He really liked Kenshin and was a little upset that Bakura was ruining his chance to be friends with the redhead. 

"I don't think he would mind," Yugi said, bringing Ryou from his dark thoughts, "After all, like you said it's not the first time Bakura's attacked him. And he didn't act any differently towards you after that, did he? Like I said, I think he can tell who's in control of your body. I'm sure he wouldn't hold that against you." 

Ryou thought about it. Yugi was right. Kenshin didn't treat him any differently than he did before. "Alright, Yugi. I'll be there," Ryou said, smiling. 

"Great!" Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. 


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

A/N: I probably didn't get all the facts right about the Bakumatsu (sorry!) and I'm changing when things happened in Kenshin's life. I know it's wrong, but he just couldn't be eighteen for my story! 

**Chapter 20**

Yugi, Ryou, Tea. Tristan, and Joey all walked to Yugi's house together after school. Yugi led them in the back and they heard two people talking in another room--well, arguing, really. 

"Kenshin! What are you doing?!" Grandpa's voice could be heard from another room. 

"Oro? I was thirsty so I was on my way to the Kitchen to get some water," Kenshin's voice was a bit quieter. 

"You should be resting! Why didn't you just call me? I could have gotten it for you. I don't want you to strain yourself." Grandpa had become over-protective of Kenshin since he'd been in the hospital two of the three weeks he'd known the Mutous. Grandpa was going to make sure Kenshin didn't over-exert himself this time. 

"Grandpa, I'm fine. The doctor said it's okay for me to be walking around, and they wouldn't have released me if I still needed to be resting all the time. I'm fine!" Kenshin argued. Yugi smiled. Usually he was on the receiving end of Grandpa's over-protective tendencies. 

"How many times did you tell me you were fine after you re-opened the wound on your side?" Grandpa countered. When Kenshin didn't answer, he continued. "And just because you're out of the hospital doesn't mean that you don't still need to rest," he admonished Kenshin. 

"I haven't been allowed out of bed since Saturday!" Kenshin whined, "Surely that's enough resting time to allow a little bit of activity on my part?" Kenshin knew he was fighting a losing battle. 

/./He's almost as bad as that evil nurse!/./ Battousai complained. He wasn't sure if coming home had been an improvement or not. 

/He's just worried about us, that's all,/ Kenshin said, trying to carry on two conversations at once. Just then Yugi and everyone walked into the living room. 

Kenshin saw Yugi and silently asked for his help. Yugi got an evil look in his eye. "Kenshin! What're you doing up? You should be resting!" Yugi said, repeating Grandpa's words from earlier. Kenshin shot a death glare at him. Yugi just laughed. It was then that Grandpa noticed everyone else in the room. 

"Oh, hello, kids. What brings all of you here today?" he asked. 

"We jus' wanted to come an' say hi to Kenshin, ya' know, welcome him back an' all," Joey explained. The others nodded their heads in agreement. 

"Oh, alright, then I guess I'll leave you kids alone." He gave Kenshin a stern look. "Remember, you're supposed to be resting, Kenshin." 

"Hai," Kenshin said, sighing. 

Grandpa left, and everyone else sat down in the chairs and on the couch. 

"So, Kenshin, how was your stay at the hospital? Did you have any cute nurses?" Tristan asked. Tea hit him on the back of the head. 

"I haven't been allowed out of bed since Saturday. Five days, strict bed rest, with Kaiba as a roommate. I think hospitals were created as another way to torture people," Kenshin said, seriously. 

"Whoa, Kaiba was your roommate?! And you couldn't leave to get away from him?! Man, you musta' had it bad!" Joey exclaimed. 

Kenshin looked at Yugi as though he'd betrayed him. "And you! I couldn't believe you said that just now! You're supposed to be on my side!" Kenshin said, looking at Yugi disapprovingly. 

Yugi grinned. "It's nice to see someone else on the receiving end of Grandpa's care sometimes," he said, still smiling. 

"So you feed me to the wolves, huh? After what I've done for you, I don't understand your methods of paying me back. Yours or his," Kenshin said, shaking his head, referring to Yami taking Grandpa's side about Kenshin going to the hospital after Kenshin had pushed him out of the way of Bakura's attack. 

Joey, Tristan and Tea looked at each other blankly. Ryou understood what Kenshin was talking about, and looked down, ashamed. Kenshin saw this, and decided to talk to him later. Yugi changed the to conversation to school. 

"So, Kenshin, will you be back in school on Monday? I know Grandpa won't let you out of the house tomorrow--you'll be lucky if he lets you out of your room!" Yugi said, still smiling. 

Kenshin glared at him again. "I hope to be back in school on Monday, if all goes well. Unfortunately, I suspect that I'll need your help convincing Grandpa. Whose side are you going to be on?" Kenshin asked. He didn't like relying on other people, and Yugi was proving to be very fickle. 

Yugi laughed. "Don't worry, I'll help you," he assured Kenshin. "You haven't missed that much in school. We're still studying the Bakumatsu in history," Yugi said, watching for Kenshin's reaction. Kenshin kept his face expressionless. The others, however, were more than willing to share their feelings on the subject. 

"It's so bogus that we have to study this. I mean, who cares what happened? Some peasants didn't like the government at the time, they started a rebellion, and in a stroke of luck, they won the battle. Big deal," Tristan said, in a bored tone. 

It was then that Yugi got the reaction he was waiting for. Kenshin's eyes hardened as he looked at Tristan sharply. Tristan was a little surprised at the anger he saw there. 

"The Bakumatsu wasn't fought just because the peasants didn't like the government. It was fought to create a new era where all people would be equal. Before the samurai were allowed to treat their servants and their servants' families however they wanted. They could even kill them and no one would say a word. The life of one person had no value unless he was born in a higher class. The Bakumatsu brought an end to that with the fall of the Tokugawa regime. You say it was a stroke of luck? There is a reason the Bakumatsu is called the bloodiest war in the history of Japan. The very streets of Kyoto ran red with blood. Countless people lost their lives fighting for what they believed in. Show a little respect," Kenshin said, never breaking eye contact with Tristan. 

Everyone was stunned by his sudden outburst. "Wow," Tea managed to say, "You're really into history, aren't you?" 

Kenshin realized the situation he had just gotten himself into. "Sorry, I'm just familiar with the events surrounding the Bakumatsu. I had a really good teacher who made it seem like I was really there. It was an important time in our history. You shouldn't make light of it," Kenshin hurriedly explained, hoping they believed him. They all seemed to accept that--Yugi more readily than the others. He couldn't wait to talk to Kenshin later. 

/./Well, that was interesting. These people are really gullible, aren't they?/./ 

/Yes, and it's a good thing for us. I can't believe I lost it like that. Usually I'm more careful!/ Kenshin berated himself. 

/./He should show a little more respect. There's a reason they have to study it, you know. It had a big impact on history. They might still be living under the Tokugawas if we had failed,/./ Battousai said. 

Everyone seemed to notice Kenshin spacing out, so they decided it was time to leave. Kenshin noticed, and decided to make his move. He stood up with them and noticeably winced when he put weight on his right leg. "Ryou, my leg seems to have gotten a little stiff while I was sitting there. Could you please help me to my room? I think everyone else is probably going to the arcade with Yugi. Would you mind?" Kenshin asked, as Ryou started to follow everyone else out of the room. 

Ryou stopped, a little nervous at being singled out. "Sure," he said, uncertainly. Kenshin put his arm around Ryou's shoulder and leaned on him as they walked up the stairs. Once they got to Kenshin's room, however, Kenshin took his arm off Ryou and closed the door behind them. Ryou was now more than a little afraid. Kenshin had singled him out, and gotten him alone in his room. He obviously had not needed any help and he was currently blocking the only exit. 

Kenshin, sensing Ryou's growing fear, turned around and smiled at him reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'm not going to eat you. I just wanted to talk with you away from the others," Kenshin explained. 

Ryou calmed down somewhat, but his eyes darted to the door that Kenshin was still blocking. Kenshin saw this and walked across the room to sit on his bed. "You can leave whenever you like. I do, however, hope that you will stay and talk for a few moments first," Kenshin said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. Ryou, feeling a little better now that he had an escape route, sat in the offered chair. 

Guessing as what Kenshin wanted to talk about, Ryou decided to put Yugi's theory to the test. "I'm sorry I attacked you in the alley and at the park," he said. 

Kenshin looked at him, as if deciphering something only he could see. Ryou squirmed a bit under the scrutiny. "It wasn't you who attacked me," Kenshin said, at last. 

Ryou looked up. "What?" 

"It wasn't you who attacked me. He used your body, but it was not you. And I'm guessing you have no memory of either event because I was not the one attacked in the park. That was aimed at Yugi. And at school after the first attack, you said you didn't remember what happened. At the time I could tell that what you said was only partially true. While you didn't remember, you had a pretty good idea if what had taken place. Am I correct in my assumption?" Kenshin asked, watching Ryou's reactions. 

Ryou was stunned. Yugi was right, Kenshin could tell the difference between him and his yami.. Not only that, Kenshin could tell when he was lying too. "Y-yes, you are correct on both accounts," Ryou said, still staring at Kenshin with wide eyes. 

Kenshin smiled at Ryou's reactions. "I just wanted to let you know that while your yami may cause more problems in the future, I will not hold you accountable for his actions. After all, you only have limited control over your yami," Kenshin said. 

/./You're admitting you only have a limited control over me?/./ Battousai asked, all to innocently. 

/I'll deal with you later. Right now, I'm trying to talk to Ryou. Can you please be quiet for once in my life?/ Kenshin asked, a little annoyed at being interrupted. 

/./Touchy,/./ Battousai had to get in the last word before falling silent. 

Ryou looked at Kenshin curiously. "I'm guessing that you have a yami as well as Yugi and myself. What's his name, if you don't mind my asking," Ryou inquired. 

/./Don't you dare././ 

Kenshin smirked mentally. "I call him Battousai." 

/./Why don't you just broadcast it to the entire world!/./ Battousai snapped, annoyed. Giving enemies any information was not his style. 

/Well, if you insist.../ 

"Battousai? As in the Legendary Hitokiri Battousai? Wow, no wonder you know so much about the Bakumatsu--you have one of the prominent hitokiris living in your head!" Ryou said, in sudden understanding. Kenshin frowned. 

/./Prominent hitokiri...? I think like this kid!/./ 

/Don't let it go to your head--you were only in control of my body half the time, remember?/ Kenshin reminded him before his ego got too big. Living with an arrogant Battousai was down right impossible. 

"So, what's it like, living with a manslayer in your head?" Ryou's curiosity got the better of him. "Does he ever take over your body by force? And, do you remember what happened afterwards?" 

Kenshin's eyes got a far away look in them as he recalled certain memories. "He used to, but he hasn't for awhile," Kenshin said after a minute. Just then, there was a knock on the door. 

"Kenshin? Are you in there?" came Yugi's muffled voice. 

"Hai, Yugi. You can come in, it's open," Kenshin replied. 

Yugi walked in and saw Ryou. "Oh, I'm sorry, am I interrupting you guys?" He asked. 

Kenshin shook his head. "No, we were just discussing Battousai," Kenshin explained. "Why don't you join us? You look like you have something you want to ask me," Kenshin said. 

Yugi took a seat on the bed next to Kenshin. "Um, well, actually, it's about your past. You don't really have amnesia, do you?" Yugi said, deciding to be blunt. 

Kenshin didn't look at all surprised by the question. He had been wondering how long it would take before Yugi figured it out. "No, Yugi, I do not," Kenshin confirmed. But Yugi wanted to know more. 

"Well, where are your parents? Where did you live before? Where did you learn to fight like that?" Yugi asked, not giving Kenshin time to answer. 

Kenshin held up his hands. "Easy, Yugi! One question at a time, please. Well, I suppose I might as well tell you about my past," Kenshin said, "I lived in a small village on the outskirts of Kyoto with my parents. We were farmers. When I was eight, my parents died of cholera. I, having no other family to claim me, was sold to a group of slave traders. I was with them for a year. I told you Yugi about the girl who gave me this?" Kenshin asked, holding up the Millennium Mask. Yugi nodded, not wanting to interrupt him. "She was among three girls that had been picked up by the traders a few days before the attack. We were walking late into the night when a group of bandits suddenly attacked. They killed everyone, slave and trader alike. Those three girls died trying to protect me. I remember being the only one left alive. One of the bandits stood over me, preparing to end my life. The next thing I know I wake up on the ground with the bodies of the bandits all around me. I still do not know exactly what transpired. I buried everyone. It took me three days to do it. Shortly after I had finished, a swordsman came up behind me. From the way he talked, it seems that he had happened upon the scene and saved me that night. He took me on as his apprentice, and I learned Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu from him on a mountain outside of Kyoto." 

At this point, Yugi couldn't contain himself any longer. "Wait a minute, Kenshin, didn't anyone notice the massacre?" Yugi asked incredulously. Sure, there could be illegal slavery operations, and thieves, but no one noticed any missing persons? The police didn't even go investigate it? 

Kenshin looked at him a little curiously. "Yugi, such things were commonplace back then," Kenshin said. 

It took Yugi a minute to realize that Kenshin meant back before the Bakumatsu and not a years ago. "Wait a minute, Kenshin. Are you saying, you're from the past?" 

/./Perhaps he's not as bright as I thought,/./ Battousai said. 

/Apparently, they thought that you were they only one from the past,/ Kenshin replied. He turned his attention back to Yugi and Ryou. "Yes, I am from the past," he confirmed. Yugi and Ryou just stared at him. After all, how many people do you meet that practically come from your history book? /They still haven't realized exactly what that means. It'll probably take a few more minutes,/ Kenshin said, making conversation to the only one who was so stunned as to not be capable of speech. 

/./What do you mean?/./ Battousai asked. 

/Well, they know that you are Battousai the manslayer. And now they know that I was alive during that time period. How long will it take them to realize that I killed people during the Bakumatsu?/ Kenshin asked. 

/./Don't know. Who do you think will realize it first?/./ 

/Well, it depends on whether or not Yami helps Yugi. I'm pretty sure that he knows about the power of the Mask, so he probably figured it out on Saturday. However, if he lets Yugi find out for himself, I think that Ryou will figure it out first,/ Kenshin replied. 

As Kenshin predicted, Ryou was the first to realize who he was. His eyes widened as he looked at Kenshin, and he opened his mouth to say something, but Yugi beat him to it. 

"How did you get here?" 

"The Millennium Mask. It has the power to travel through time," Kenshin answered. 

/./Sure, go ahead and tell them everything we know! Why don't you teach them how to read people's auras and their ki so next time Ryou's yami might actually beat us! Have you forgotten that he knows everything we tell Ryou?!/./ Battousai yelled, seething. 

Kenshin winced as Battousai's voice tore through his brain. Ryou noticed. "Are you alright?" he asked. 

"Yes, Battousai doesn't like the amount of information I'm giving out, and he's yelling at me," Kenshin explained. 

Both Yugi and Ryou winced in sympathy. They knew what that felt like. 

/./Is there anything you're NOT going to tell them?!/./ Battousai was used to no one even knowing of his existence and now Kenshin is telling these two every single thing he did! 

Kenshin looked at Yugi and Ryou a bit apologetically. "Would you excuse me for a moment?" he asked. 

"Sure," they replied, a little uncertainly. 

Kenshin looked forward, his eyes losing their focus as he turned his attention towards his yami. 

/I don't see what the problem is,/ Kenshin began. 

/./ The problem is the amount of information you CAN'T keep from those two! That's some very personal information you're giving out. The only other person who knows about your past is Hiko!/./ 

/Why do you care who I tell about my past?! It's my past and I don't see why it should bother!/ Kenshin was rapidly losing his patience with the hitokiri. 

/./Because they can use it against you!/./ The truth was, Battousai was becoming a little jealous of Kenshin's new friends. He was used to being the only one that Kenshin could confide in, the only one that knew everything about him. Now, there were two more people he had to compete with. And one was a potential enemy. 

/What are they gonna do, take hostages?! Everyone from my past is dead!/ Kenshin was yelling as loud as Battousai now. 

Battousai saw an opening and took it. Kenshin was distracted, so Battousai easily took control of the body. 

Yugi and Ryou, who were watching Kenshin, saw his eyes shift to amber. He glared at both of them. 

"You shouldn't be so nosy. It isn't good for your health, if you know what I mean," he said, before relinquishing control to Kenshin. 

Kenshin's eye's changed back to violet, but his expression didn't change. In one fluid movement, he ripped the necklace off and threw it to the head of his bed. He glared at it for a moment before turning his gaze to the white-haired boy. "Don't even think about it," he said in a voice as cold as Battousai's. 

Yugi and Ryou looked at him, confused. "Don't even think about what?" Yugi asked. 

"Who are you?" Kenshin asked, never taking his eyes off of Ryou. Ryou looked confused. "What do you mean, Kenshin? It's me, Ryou," he said, nervously. 

Kenshin shook his head. "No, you're not Ryou. You are a spirit residing in the Millennium Ring. I ask again, who are you?" Kenshin repeated his question, his tone more commanding than before. Yugi looked at him surprised. 

Bakura, who had take over when Kenshin removed the Mask, saw that he couldn't fool Kenshin, gave control back to Ryou who looked a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry about that," he said, "I can't control Bakura." 

Kenshin smiled, his features softening. "It's not your fault. He thought he could get the Mask, since I took it off, if he pretended to be you. It's alright, nothing happened," Kenshin said. 

Just then Grandpa came and knocked on the door, telling them it was time to go to bed. He said he'd drive Ryou home and Yugi went with him, leaving Kenshin alone with his thoughts and the Mask. 


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin." 

**Chapter 21**

The next morning, everyone sat around the table eating breakfast in the Mutou household. Yugi had talked to Grandpa on Kenshin's behalf the night before, so Kenshin was now allowed to move around the house as he pleased. He was not allowed to go to school until Monday, couldn't leave the house until then, and he had to let Grandpa check his wound every night, but it was a start. Yugi noticed that while Kenshin was back to his normal cheerful self, he was not wearing the Mask. He decided to ask Yami about it. \Yami?\ he called softly, not sure if the spirit was awake yet. 

\\Yes, Yugi, what is it? \\ came Yami's reply. 

\Well, I was thinking about last night. Battousai and Kenshin seemed to have a big fight about something. Kenshin's still not wearing the Mask. But, Kenshin was just telling us about his past. Why would that make Battousai angry? We're Kenshin's friends,\ Yugi said, eating his breakfast. 

There was a pause before Yami replied. \\Well, Yugi, it sounds to me like Kenshin has led a very lonely life. His parents died and he was sold to slave traders. It sounded like the only three girls he got close to during that time were killed a few days after that. Then he lived on a mountain with his master for several years. I'm not sure, but I think he became a hitokiri shortly after leaving his master, and the life of an assassin is a lonely one. Because of his level of skill, it is likely that his own comrades feared him. Also, if anyone got close to him they could be used against him by his enemies. It doesn't sound like he has had a lot of friends, so naturally Battousai was the only one he could talk to. Now, Kenshin has found himself in a position where he not only has friends, but they also know one of his most well-kept secrets--Battousai. While Kenshin is enjoying this, Battousai might be having trouble adjusting. He's used to his very existence being secret, and now Kenshin is talking to two other people about him, one of them being a potential enemy, in his eyes. That's also part of the problem. Battousai probably wouldn't object so much were it not for Bakura. He doesn't like giving information out, especially to people who could use it against him, as I said. However, these are just my speculations. It's possible that I am not even close, \\ Yami explained. He had been thinking about it for the better part of the night, and that was the best explanation he could come up with. 

Yugi was silent as he finished the rest of his meal, contemplating everything Yami had just told him. This was going to be a difficult problem to solve. (Author's Note: Yugi has not yet realized that Kenshin was actually the Hitokiri Battousai Even though Yami just told him, there was too much other information and Yugi missed it. Okay, now back to the story.) 

~*~ 

After breakfast, Yugi went to school, Grandpa opened the shop and Kenshin tried to find things to occupy himself for the day. There wasn't much to do. He tried to help Grandpa in the shop, but was quickly shooed back to the living quarters upstairs. After walking around for awhile and still finding nothing to do, Kenshin decided to do what he'd been putting off--talk to Battousai. 

He went to his room and pulled the Millennium Mask out of the desk drawer he'd stored it in last night. He put it around his neck, laid down on his bed, and entered his soul room. 

Once there, he walked into the hallway between the two rooms and knocked on the other door. He was greeted by silence. Becoming impatient, his next knock was accompanied by a yell. /Battousai! I know you can hear me! Come out and talk to me!/ 

The door was slid open to reveal an irritated looking Battousai. //Oh, so you've decided to come to visit? What a generous gesture on your part,// he said, sarcastically. //What do you want, Kenshin?// he asked, annoyed. 

/I want an explanation./ 

//For what?// 

/Why did you feel the need to threaten my friends?/ Kenshin asked, glaring at his counter-part. 

Battousai shrugged, folding his arms and looking indifferent while leaning against the door frame. //They were being too nosy.// 

Kenshin's eyes narrowed further. /I don't see how questions about _my_ past should concern you in any way./ 

//Then what about the questions about the Mask?// Battousai countered. His body remained in a relaxed position, but his eyes clearly showed his emotions. 

/I don't see how telling them what its power is will hurt us. They do not know how to use it and they have to get it first. Besides they would probably have figured it out, anyway,/ Kenshin said. He was not going to let Battousai turn this back around on him. /What I don't like is you taking over my body without my permission and threatening my friends!/ 

//If you keep giving out information, then you had better get used to it. We're better off alone. You don't need friends or allies. Relying on someone else is a good way to get killed. Your friends will always betray you if they get the chance!// Battousai snarled. Why didn't Kenshin understand?! He was only doing this to help the hikari! 

Kenshin looked at him coolly. /I'm sorry you feel that way, but I suppose it's a good thing you enjoy your solitude so much,/ he said, his voice low and cold. Before Battousai could react, Kenshin was back in his body putting the Millennium Mask back in the drawer. Kenshin sat on his bed, taking deep breaths to calm himself. It wouldn't be good for Grandpa to see him this upset over nothing. 

~*~ 

Saturday came and Kaiba was finally released from the hospital. As much as he wanted to pick up where he'd left off with his work, something was bothering him--or rather, someone. 

Kenshin Himura was an enigma to Kaiba--and Kaiba liked to solve mysteries. So, before starting on his work, he ordered his secretary to find out as much information as possible about Himura Kenshin. She returned in about an hour. 

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba, but there was only one person with that name, and his record starts three weeks ago," she said, handing him the papers she'd printed out. Kaiba scanned through them, annoyed. _How can he have no records?_ he wondered. 

His secretary waited for him to finish looking through the papers before continue. "I doubt this will help you, but I found a reference to one Kenshin Himura during the Bakumatsu. It is speculated that he may have been the Hitokiri Battousai, but no one knows if Battousai even existed." 

Kaiba looked up at the mention of Battousai. He had recalled Kenshin saying that name when he was asleep. "Battousai? Who is this Battousai?" he asked. 

The secretary answered his question, trying not to sound like a history teacher. "Legends say that during the Bakumatsu, there was a hitokiri by the name of Battousai. His skill with a sword was considerable, and he killed hundreds of men during that time, helping to ensure victory for his side. He supposedly disappeared after the war was won. As I said, it is not certain whether or not he actually existed." 

"Thank you, that will be all," Kaiba said, distractedly, dismissing his secretary. She left the room, leaving Kaiba alone with his thoughts. 

_No records previous to three weeks ago, impressive sword skills, knows someone named Battousai...But, that's impossible!_ Kaiba's thoughts were getting him nowhere. This was going to be a hard mystery to solve. 

~*~ 

Monday morning came none too soon for Kenshin. He and Yugi were walking to school, Kenshin thoroughly enjoying his newfound--albeit limited--freedom. 

Yugi noticed that he still wasn't wearing the Mask. 

Kenshin hadn't talked to Battousai since Friday, and he had hidden the Mask in his room before he left for school. He didn't want to lose his new friends due to his yami's mistrusting tendencies. 

Yugi decided to ask about it. "Hey, Kenshin," Yugi said, trying to get the red head's attention. 

"Yes, Yugi?" Kenshin answered, still looking ahead. 

"Um, I noticed you're not wearing the Mask..." Yugi trailed off, not sure how to end that comment. He didn't want to pry into something Kenshin didn't want to talk about. 

"Battousai is being...stubborn. And I don't think it would go over very well if he took control of my body in the middle of class and started threatening everyone," Kenshin said, simply, still not looking at the shorter boy. Yugi's eyes widened. 

"Wow, that bad, huh?" he said, surprised. He didn't know Battousai, but if Kenshin was worried he'd do that, then... 

Kenshin made no reply and Yugi didn't press the matter any further. They walked the rest of the way to school in silence. 

~*~ 

Yugi's friends were all glad to see Kenshin back in school, and even Kaiba was back. Kaiba kept looking at Kenshin as if he were trying to figure something out. When Kenshin caught him staring, Kaiba just made a superior "hmph" sound and re-directed his attention to the teacher. Kenshin didn't worry about it too much. 

First period was history, and apparently the test covering the section on the Bakumatsu was today. Ms. Someya assumed that Yugi had given Kenshin his notes, and so Kenshin took the test with the rest of the class. Not surprisingly, he finished first. Kenshin walked up to her desk and held out his test for her to take. 

She looked up, a little surprised at how quickly he finished it. She raised her voice as she made an announcement to the class. 

"When you finish your tests, bring them up to my desk and then start on the assignment on the board. I will let you know when everyone has completed their tests and then you may work on your book assignment in groups." 

Kenshin sat back down and started the other assignment while Ms. Someya started grading his test. After she finished, she called Kenshin back up to her desk. 

"Kenshin, would you mind stopping by after school? There's something on your test I'd like to discuss with you." 

"H-hai," Kenshin, said nervously. _What would she want to talk to me about? I answered every question correctly. I should know, I was there..._ Kenshin mentally shrugged and went back to working on his assignment. He'd know soon enough. 

~*~ 

Rumors spread quickly and everyone knew, teachers included, that Kenshin had missed the past week of school because he was in the hospital. When he went to gym class, the teacher pulled him aside to talk privately. 

"I heard you were in the hospital all last week. An injury on your leg?" Coach Gakusha asked. Kenshin nodded and he continued. "Well, we're just gonna be running today, so why don't you go ahead and just sit in the bleachers?" 

Kenshin shook his head. "No, I'll be alright," he reassured the coach. Kenshin hadn't been able to get out and move around since before the tournament. He usually practiced his kata at least once every day and ran to improve his speed and stamina. He was sorely missing his usual exercises and had been looking forward to this class all day. He desperately hoped the teacher wouldn't make him miss this chance. 

Coach Gakusha looked at Kenshin. The boy didn't limp or favor either of his legs at all. He shrugged his shoulders. "Alright. If you get tired, you can go to the bleachers, but as long as you want to run you can run," he said. 

"Arigatou," Kenshin said, smiling. 

Coach Gakusha looked at Kenshin curiously before turning and walking back to the class while shaking his head. "Strange kid. Most students would jump at the opportunity to sit out gym..." 

Kenshin walked back and joined the class. He sat next to Yugi in the bleachers. 

"What did he talk to you about?" Yugi asked, unable to restrain his curiosity. 

"He just wanted to know if I would like to stay in the bleachers during class, due to my injuries," Kenshin explained. 

"Lemme guess, you said no?" 

"You know me well." 

Just then, Coach Gakusha blew his whistle, getting the class's attention. "Today, I will be timing you while you run the mile-" there was a collective groan from the class, "-and after a short break, I will time you while you sprint thirty yards. Your times will not influence your over-all grade for this class," he finished. "Now, go over to the mats to stretch, and then we'll go to the track outside." 

After everyone had stretched and were lined up on the track, Coach Gakusha gave them more directions. "One lap around the track is 1/4 of a mile, so you need to complete four laps. Don't start out sprinting--you'll tire yourself and end up walking the last three laps. This isn't a race, I'm just measuring how much you've improved since last time. Pace yourself. Alright, you may begin when I blow the whistle. On your mark...get set...and--" he blew the whistle as he started the stop watch. 

Despite his advice to not start out sprinting, half of the class did anyway. They wanted to get this over and done with as soon as possible. Kenshin was up there with them, but for a different reason. He took his teacher's advice--he _was_ running slow. He was savoring the moment. It had been so long since he'd been able to get out and run that he had almost forgotten what it felt like! It was pure freedom after being cooped up indoors for too long. He hadn't been able to go exercise in over a week and his body was relishing being able to exert itself again. The elation he felt triggered his adrenaline and he started to speed up unconsciously. He had already left his athletically challenged classmates far behind, and even the athletes were starting to slow down, not used to running long distances as higher speeds. Kenshin felt none of their fatigue, but he did notice that he had far out paced everyone else. He lowered his speed to what he started out at, and contented himself to run the race at his original (albeit slow) speed. 

He completed the first lap, noticing that only two other people were even close to him, and he was rapidly increasing the distance between himself and them. He contemplated running slower, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. They wouldn't be running tomorrow in class and he probably wouldn't get a chance to go running by himself for at least another week. He ignored the surprised looks he got as he passed other students. Most of the class hadn't finished their first lap and Kenshin was close to starting his third. 

Yugi just stared at him as Kenshin passed him. \Wow, he's got a lot of stamina. He's been sprinting the first two laps, and he doesn't even look like he's tired!\ Yugi said, amazed. 

\\Well, it makes sense if you think about it. Although Kenshin's skills with a sword are impressive, sometimes he would have to retreat. Running was the only option. If he couldn't run fast enough or long enough to get away, then he would be dead, \\ Yami said, logically. 

\Wait a second, Yami. Why would Kenshin be in a situation like that? It was Battous--oh, right! Battousai has to use Kenshin's body, so-\ Yugi almost stopped running as the realization hit him. \Kenshin is the Hitokiri Battousai! Kenshin is studying himself in history!\ Yugi exclaimed. 

Yami chuckled. \\I was wondering when you'd realize that, \\ Yami said, amused. 

Yugi slowed down to a walk. \Why didn't you tell me?\ 

Yami smirked. \\You never asked. \\ 

Just then, Kenshin ran past Yugi again. Yugi had barely completed one lap while Kenshin was already on his fourth one. The teacher was looking at Kenshin as if he'd grown another head. This kid was in the hospital for a week because of an injury on his leg, and he had outrun one of the fastest members on the track team! 

Kenshin was glad that he was almost through with the mile because, even though he enjoyed running, his leg had begun to throb rather painfully. He quickly finished the last lap and the coach told him his time. Two minutes and thirty-seven seconds. 

Kenshin nodded. "I think I'll take you up on your offer to sit in the bleachers. I think I overdid it on my leg," Kenshin said. Coach Gakusha nodded his consent and watched Kenshin as he limped over to the bleachers, noticeably favoring his right leg. About ten minutes later Yugi came and joined him, carrying an ice pack from the coach's office. Coach Gakusha kept them in there for that very reason. He had noticed Kenshin was still rubbing his leg and he had sent Yugi to fetch one as soon as he finished running the mile. Kenshin took the ice pack and placed it on his leg, the cold soothing the wound. So distracted was he that he didn't notice when Ryou's aura shifted to Bakura's and back again to Ryou's a few seconds later. 


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own anything I'm writing about.

Bakura to Ryou/Battousai - {{...}}

Ryou to Bakura - {...}

Battousai to Bakura - //...//

**Chapter 22**

The ice pack helped, and Kenshin's leg didn't hurt at all by the time gym was over. Gym was the last class of the day, so Kenshin started walking back to Ms. Someya's room. He hadn't realized how lonely it would be without Battousai. He had been able to talk to Battousai shortly after Hiko started training him. It wasn't until the Bakumatsu that he discovered Battousai could take control of his body, but he had always been in his mind for the past several years. Kenshin had never taken off the Mask, and now he felt alone without the hitokiri's presence. Battousai would always be making remarks about the members of the Ishin Shishi that avoided him in the halls, pointing out an enemy's weaknesses and strengths, pointing out Kenshin's weaknesses so he could counter it. Despite the reputation of Battousai being silent most of the time, he was quite the chatterbox mentally. Kenshin didn't really need most of the advice his yami insisted on giving him, but he listened anyway. Frequently, the constant conversation from Battousai made it difficult to concentrate on what was happening outside of his mind. But, these past few days had been silent. Kenshin didn't realize that the silence he longed for would be so depressing. It was like he had lost part of himself; which, in a sense, he had. Kenshin decided to talk to Battousai again when he got home. Kenshin, who had just reached Ms. Someya's classroom, knocked on the door and entered.

~*~ 

Bakura had noticed that Kenshin hadn't been wearing the Mask. During gym, he had taken control of Ryou's body and commanded the ring to point to the Mask. It had pointed away from the school. Bakura had relinquished his control back to the oblivious Ryou while he went over a plan in his head. This was the perfect opportunity. He had heard Ms. Someya ask to speak with Kenshin after school. He wouldn't get another opportunity like this. When he was far enough from the school, he took over Ryou's body once again and quickly made his way to Yugi's house.

~*~ 

"You wanted to speak with me, Ms. Someya?" Kenshin said, as he entered the classroom. She looked up from the paper she'd been grading and motioned him closer.

"Yes, I was quite surprised at how well you did on your test. I just had one question. On question number thirty-seven, the correct answer was a spy had given the Shinsengumi information as to where the meeting would be held. You called the spy Idzuka. Why?" she asked, curiously.

_Because that was his name,_ Kenshin thought, a little confused. _Why wouldn't they know his name? Oh, of course! He was a traitor! Why would they remember his name? Oh, blast..._ Kenshin's mind raced to come up with a convincing story. "Well, Yugi gave me the notes for all of the classes I missed. I must have gotten them mixed up," he lied, convincingly. 

Ms. Someya nodded her head. "I just wanted to ask you about that when the class was not present. You may go," she said, dismissing him. Kenshin nodded and left. She seemed to buy that story, so he didn't worry about it too much. He started walking home.

~*~ 

Once Bakura reached Kenshin's house, he expertly picked the lock on the back door and silently made his way in. Mr. Mutou was tending the shop, so Bakura made his way up to Kenshin's room unhindered. He had to find the Mask quickly before Kenshin got home. He searched all the drawers in the desk, in the closet, under the bed, blankets, pillows, and mattress. He went over to Kenshin's chest of drawers and proceeded to unceremoniously dump out the contents of each drawer, but he still couldn't find it. _Where is it?!_ he thought, frustrated.

He grabbed the Ring around his neck. "Guide me to the Millennium Mask," he commanded it. The spikes on the Ring obediently pointed up. Bakura looked to where it pointed and smiled. Taped to the ceiling next to the light was a piece of cloth the same color as the paint, making it difficult to see at first glance. After clearing a spot on the floor, Bakura grabbed the chair in front of the desk and positioned it under the light. He stood on the chair, grabbed the cloth and ripped it away, allowing the Millennium Mask to fall towards the floor. He deftly caught it and looked at it. _Yes!_ he thought triumphantly, _Three items are now mine!_ He cut his gloating short as he heard the bell ringing on the door of the game shop, signaling the entrance of a customer and reminding him where he was. He left, closing the door to Kenshin's room, hiding the mess he'd created in his search. He exited the house as silently as he'd come, and started to make his way home quickly.

~*~ 

As Kenshin neared the game shop, he felt Bakura's ki hurriedly leaving the vicinity. Kenshin entered through the back door and quickly went up to his room. He opened the door and barely registered the mess on the floor before checking the light. The Mask was gone.

Kenshin ran back down the stairs silently and left through the back door. If Grandpa saw him, he'd want to know where he was going and Kenshin didn't have time to waste on his questions. He stopped outside the back door and cast out his senses, searching for Bakura's position. Bakura was keeping to the back streets and alley ways.

_Good,_ Kenshin thought, _That will make this a little easier for me._ He ran ahead of Bakura and circled back, keeping to the shadows out of habit. As Bakura rounded a corner, Kenshin stepped out of the shadows in front of him. "I think you have something that belongs to me," he said, coolly.

Bakura stopped, startled at Kenshin's sudden appearance. He quickly recovered and pulled the Mask out of his pocket. He placed it around his neck, smirking at Kenshin. "I think we should have a rematch. The last two times we fought, you used the Mask. Now it's my turn," he said, evilly.

// Who are you?!// Battousai yelled, more than a little upset that Kenshin would let someone else wear the Mask.

Bakura winced as Battousai's irate voice tore through his mind. {{Be quiet! I'll deal with you later!}} Bakura said, irritably.

//I recognize you now! You steal my Mask and then expect me to shut up just because you tell me to? Are you stupid or something?!// Battousai yelled. He assumed the Mask was stolen because Kenshin wouldn't just hand it over, no matter how angry he was. But, if the Mask was stolen, then it must have meant that Kenshin did not have it with him. _Kenshin left me at home?!_ Battousai thought, enraged. When he got back to Kenshin, that boy was getting a stern talking to.

"How do you think you will fare now that Battousai can no longer protect you? Are you willing to face me without the aid of the manslayer, little boy?" Bakura taunted Kenshin. Kenshin just continued to gaze at him coolly, while drawing his sword from inside his jacket.

Battousai was laughing. //If you think the Mask will give you his skills, you're sadly mistaken!// Battousai said, enjoying the anger he was feeling through his link with Bakura. // It only increases the abilities you already have! You're still no match for his speed, you fool! Kenshin only needed the Mask to dodge shadow ma--// Battousai cut himself off, cursing vehemently at himself. He was used Kenshin being the only one who could hear him and he'd mistakenly given Bakura Kenshin's only weakness!

Although some of Battousai's curses made Bakura's ears burn, he smirked at Kenshin triumphantly. "So, I see you haven't been on the best terms with your manslayer friend. He's even told me your weakness. You can't dodge my shadow magic without the Mask, can you?" he said, watching for Kenshin's reaction.

Kenshin's eyes widened ever so slightly. Battousai had betrayed him? He couldn't believe it. He sensed Bakura gathering energy for an attack and dodged blindly, barely missing being hit. He probably wouldn't be as lucky next time, so he stuck his sword into the ground. "Do-ryu-sen!" he said, ripping his sword out of the dirt after sending a wave of ki through the ground towards Bakura. The Mask's abilities allowed him to dodge the attack, but Kenshin had reduced the visibility. Bakura had to wait until the dust settled. He had an attack ready, waiting for Kenshin to try and attack him.

Battousai was furious with himself. He had been fighting with Kenshin over giving out too much information and then he turned around and told Bakura Kenshin's only weakness! He was in the middle of verbally abusing himself when Kenshin's voice cut through his thoughts.

"You were right. Your friends will always betray you if they get the chance."

Kenshin was talking to Battousai. Battousai flinched at having his words flung back in his face. Kenshin thought that Battousai had betrayed him, and in a way he had. But it was an accident! Battousai felt Bakura's presence leave, and realized he had taken off the Mask. Battousai was alone again, thoughts of his betrayal his only company.

Bakura had no clue what Kenshin was talking about. He would have attacked, but he couldn't tell where exactly Kenshin's voice was coming from, so he waited until the dust had settled enough for him to see. Kenshin was gone. Smirking, Bakura placed the Mask back in his pocket (so he didn't have to listen to Battousai) and resumed his journey home.

~*~ 

Kenshin watched as Bakura walked by him, oblivious to his presence. All Kenshin had to do was swing his sword and the thief would either be unconscious or dead, depending on how Kenshin held his sword. There were only a few things holding him back. First, Kenshin would not attack without warning. In every assassination he took part in, he always gave fair warning of an attack. It didn't help his victims in the slightest, but he did it anyway.

Second, he wasn't sure if he wanted the Mask back. Because of it, Hiko tried--and almost succeeded in--killing him. Bakura had attacked him because he wanted it, and now Battousai had betrayed him. That one hurt the most. He had been betrayed before--Tomoe was sent to betray him and Idzuka sold Kenshin's secret and his life for money. This time, though, it was different. Battousai had been with him for years. He knew everything about Kenshin, and he had been one of Kenshin's true friends. A few moments ago, Kenshin would have trusted Battousai with his life with no hesitation. Battousai was half of him, and his betrayal felt like someone had plunged a sword through Kenshin's heart and twisted it. No, he didn't want the Mask back.

He walked back to the game shop, lost in his thoughts.

~*~ 

Yugi had been at the arcade when Yami felt the use of shadow magic. Yugi excused himself from his friends, saying that Grandpa had wanted him to tend the shop this afternoon. Yugi remembered the last time that had happened--they had found Ryou unconscious in an alley. This time, however, Kenshin wasn't wearing the Mask, and Yami had felt more than one attack. Yami had taken over and was surprised to find an empty alley.

\But, what happened? Shouldn't at least one of them be here?\ Yugi asked, confused.

\\Yes, unless neither of them lost. Let us go talk to Kenshin--he should be home by now,\\ Yami said, quickly making his way home. He walked in the front door of the game shop.

"Hello, Yami. How was school today?" Grandpa asked. It was normal for Yugi to let Yami take over for his classes every now and then. The spirit enjoyed experiencing modern schooling first hand and Yugi was happy to oblige him.

"Fine. Grandpa, have you seen Kenshin?" Yami asked, casually.

"Yes, he just came in. He said one of his teachers kept him after school and he went to his room to start on his homework," Grandpa replied.

Yami nodded and headed to the back of the shop. Grandpa wasn't kidding when he said Kenshin had just come in--he was walking up the stairs. Kenshin had noticed that Yami controlled Yugi's body, but continued up to his room. Yami followed him.

"Kenshin, could I please have a word with you in your room?" Yami asked. He didn't want to risk Grandpa coming back here and accidentally hearing their conversation.

"If you wish to speak with me you may, however, you may wish to change the location as there is nowhere to sit in my room, but if you don't mind standing then you may come in," Kenshin said, opening his door and gesturing to Yami. Yami looked in and was surprised at the quagmire that greeted his eyes. He followed Kenshin in and stood off to the side as Kenshin closed the door and began to clean his room.

"What happened here?" Yami asked, although he already had a pretty good idea.

"Someone came looking for something, and they apparently had a hard time finding it," Kenshin answered, simply, almost as if this were a normal everyday occurrence. Yami looked at him carefully. Kenshin's normally expressive face was emotionless. He picked up the drawers and put them back in place. He then picked up various articles of clothing, folded them and put them in their respective drawers. His motions were calm, there was no anger at all. Yami found that very strange.

He decided to take the direct approach. "Kenshin, what happened?"

"Someone came looking for something in my room, tearing it up in the process," he repeated.

"I felt shadow magic being used just a few moments ago. I have a feeling you were somehow involved. What happened?" Yami asked again.

Kenshin showed no surprise at Yami's comment and his movements did not falter. "I confronted Bakura in an alley. He tried to attack me, but I escaped before any damage was done."

"Kenshin, I don't enjoy playing Twenty Questions with you. Will you please tell me what happened?"

"I felt Bakura's ki leaving the area when I got home. I came up and saw my room like this. The Mask was gone. I followed him and confronted him about it. Due to an unfortunate turn of events I was forced to escape and Bakura left with the Mask," Kenshin explained. He sounded like he was discussing the weather. Yami was shocked.

"Kenshin, we have to get it back! Bakura now has the power to travel through time, not to mention Battousai--" Yami began, until Kenshin cut him off.

"I wouldn't worry about that. He first needs to know the correct chant and, besides, he can travel through time, but he can't control where he'll end up," Kenshin explained. He had finished putting his clothes away, and had now moved on to re-making his bed.

"Well, then, what about Battousai?" Yami asked. From what Kenshin said, the hitokiri didn't seem all that stable. Who knew what kind of havoc he could wreak.

For the first time, Kenshin stopped and looked at Yami. His eyes were blank, devoid of all emotion. "You don't need to worry about him. He has no sword skills. He used mine. I earned the name Hitokiri Battousai long before he ever fought in the Bakumatsu," Kenshin explained, before turning his attention back to cleaning.

Yami was beginning to worry about Kenshin's lack of emotion. It was as if he had closed himself off from everything around him. Nothing affected him. "Kenshin, you need to get the Mask back," Yami said, looking for any kind of reaction from the red-haired youth. He found it.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed briefly before resuming their expressionless stare. "I don't want it back."

Yami saw Kenshin's reaction and pursued the subject. "Why not? What happened between you and Battousai? Why don't you want to try and get him back?" Yami pressed.

"Betrayal is not an easy thing to forgive," Kenshin said, coldly.

Whatever Yami was expecting, it wasn't that. "What?! What do you mean by betrayal?" Yami asked.

"Battousai told Bakura my weakness. That was why I had to escape."

Yami was shocked. Battousai had fought with Kenshin about the unimportant information Kenshin gave out and then he turns around and tells Bakura Kenshin's weakness? "Kenshin, it doesn't make sense. There must be more to it than that. Why would Battousai do that?"

"Why, indeed." Kenshin was not being very helpful.

Yami tried a different approach. "If we work together, we can probably get it back, and then you can ask Battousai why he did that," Yami suggested.

Kenshin glared at him. "And what do you propose we do? Go and ask him for it nicely? I'm sure he wouldn't keep it on the body for fear of Ryou finding it or Battousai taking over Ryou. Ryou won't even know the Mask was stolen. And what do you expect us to do once we do confront Bakura? I've just been rendered useless, so I don't know why you're asking me," Kenshin said, a little angrily. He was having trouble suppressing his emotions and they were starting to break through to the surface. "Look. I'm having a hard time staying calm right now. I'll talk to you about this later," Kenshin said, starting to pick up everything that had been dumped out of the desk. Yami nodded, even though Kenshin couldn't see him, and exited the room, leaving Kenshin alone with his thoughts.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of importance in this story. 

**Chapter 23**

Dinner at the Mutou household didn't seem different from any other night to Grandpa. Kenshin was his normal cheerful self, and didn't seem at all bothered by his wounds. Yami remained in control of Yugi's body, but that was nothing new. Modern foods were a wonder to the ancient pharaoh, and he would come out and sample things from time to time. Yes, just a normal night in the Mutou household. 

While Grandpa didn't notice anything different, Yami did. He had been watching Kenshin throughout the course of the meal and had noticed several things about the young swordsman. First, while Kenshin did take part in the conversation, it was only when he was asked a direct question. He wouldn't give one or two word answers, but he would answer the question and fall silent again. Also, although he did smile, it didn't quite reach his eyes. His eyes were carefully devoid of any emotion. His face showed several emotions, depending on what the current conversation called for, but his eyes were always blank. The longer Yami watched him, the more fake Kenshin's expressions looked. Grandpa couldn't tell the difference, but Kenshin was just putting on a show, pretending like nothing was wrong. Had Yami not been looking for those signs, he might have fallen for it, too. 

After dinner, Kenshin excused himself to his room, saying he still had more homework to catch up on. Yami followed him after a few minutes. He knocked on Kenshin's door, and waited for a response. 

"Yes?" came Kenshin's slightly muffled reply. 

"May I come in? I must speak with you," Yami said. 

There was a barely audible sigh. "If you must, you must." 

Yami opened the door and entered the room. Everything was back in its proper place and it looked as though no one had broken in at all. Kenshin was sitting at his desk, writing something on a piece of paper. He had several textbooks stacked neatly on the desk and one was open in front of him. He did not look up as Yami entered. Yami closed the door behind him and took a seat on Kenshin's newly made bed. 

"We need to talk," Yami said, seriously. 

Kenshin continued working on his homework. "So you said. What would you like to talk about?" Although his mood had improved somewhat, he was still prone to be somewhat sarcastic with his remarks. 

"You know very well what I would like to talk about. The Millennium Mask," Yami replied. 

"And you know very well that I have no intention of getting it back, even if I could help you. What else is there for us to discuss?" 

"Kenshin, you're not useless--" Yami began, but Kenshin interrupted him. 

"Really? Maybe this wasn't explained to you very well. Battousai has been living in my head for the past eight years. He knows everything about me. He knows every single sword technique I have and can probably recognize most by the stance alone. He knows every weakness for each of those moves as well as the best counter-attack. He knows how my mind works, what I'm thinking. He can read me like a book, and in sword fights that is fatal. He probably knows what I'm going to do before I even decide!" Kenshin said, turning to look at Yami for the first time. His eyes, so empty during dinner, were now filled with anger and sorrow. 

"Kenshin, what makes you think Battousai will help Bakura?" Yami asked. 

"I think he already has, don't you?" 

"No, I don't. I still think that it was an honest mistake on his part. He was so adamant about you not giving out information, it doesn't stand to reason that he would turn around and do that exact same thing," Yami argued. 

"Oh, but it does. While we were arguing, he told me _your friends will always betray you if they get the chance_. He was warning me, Yami. He actually warned me that he would do this the first time an opportunity arose, but I didn't listen. It's my own fault," Kenshin said, turning back to his homework. 

Yami was silent as he contemplated this new information, but not for long. "But it still doesn't make sense. What does he have to gain from siding with Bakura?" 

"Shadow magic," Kenshin answered, in a monotone voice. 

"What do you mean by that?" Yami asked, confused. Kenshin didn't answer, so Yami went back to the original topic. "Will you help me get the Mask away from Bakura?" 

"I already told you, I don't want the Mask back," Kenshin replied. 

"I didn't say you had to take it back, just help me get it from Bakura." 

"One problem. He knows my weakness. I've been rendered useless." 

"Perhaps if you told me your weakness, then we could come up with a way to counteract it," Yami suggested. 

Kenshin looked at him sharply. He didn't fancy the thought of another shadow magic wielding person knowing his weakness. Sure, he had come to almost trust Yami, but he had also trusted Battousai. Yami seemed to realize this. 

"Kenshin, I know it's hard, but you've got to learn to trust people again. The first time you're betrayed--" Yami started, but Kenshin cut him off again. 

"The first time? You think that this is the first time I've been betrayed?! Yami, you really should pay more attention in Yugi's history class. I was the most feared hitokiri in the history of Japan! That was good for the Imperialists, but the Shogunate was desperate to rid the world of my existence and used whatever means possible to accomplish this goal. Yes, I've been betrayed before," Kenshin said, looking Yami straight in the eye. 

Yami, for his part, was more than a little surprised. Kenshin was only fifteen! \\To have experienced so much at such a young age...\\ he thought, not realizing he was speaking to Yugi. 

\Well, I guess it makes sense if you think about it. But man! I didn't realize...\ 

Yami jumped slightly at hearing Yugi's voice, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the red headed boy in front of him. 

Kenshin smirked. "Yugi decided to join the conversation?" 

"Only temporarily. Kenshin, I'm asking you. Will you help me retrieve the Mask?" 

"I don't see the harm in Bakura keeping it, but since you seem so adamant...I'll consider it. Ask me again in a few days," Kenshin said, with finality in his tone, signaling the end their conversation. 

Yami didn't want to waste a few days while Kenshin decided, but it was still a partial victory. He had convinced Kenshin to at least consider getting it back. That would suffice for now. Yami rose and silently left the room, allowing Kenshin to continue working on his homework. 

~*~ 

It was silent at the Bakura residence. Ryou's father was gone on another archeological dig, so Bakura had the house all to himself. Currently, the boy in question was sitting on the couch, staring into space with an annoyed expression. He had decided that it would be safer to keep the Mask on his person at all times, as opposed to hiding it somewhere. (Wasn't that the very reason Kenshin lost it in the first place?) This meant that he would have to be extra careful when Ryou was in control of the body, to watch and make sure his host didn't accidentally find the Mask. It also meant that he could hear Battousai. The latter seemed to be his current problem. 

{{Don't you ever shut up?!}} Bakura demanded, irritated. He wondered how Kenshin had managed to put up with him. 

//You don't like talking to me? I'm hurt. And here I was all excited because I got to talk to someone other than my hikari. If you don't like me, then why don't you give me back to Kenshin?// Battousai asked, in mock innocence. 

{{Well, that would defeat the whole purpose of my stealing the Mask now, wouldn't it? If you don't shut up, then I'm going to banish your soul to the Shadow Realm!}} Bakura threatened. 

Battousai knew the threat was empty. //But, then, who would teach you how to control the Mask? I'm the only one that knows its secrets,// Battousai said, taunting him. 

Bakura growled. {{My offer still stands. I'll give you anything you want if you teach me how to travel through time. I'll even give you back to your worthless hikari!}} 

Battousai's anger flared at Kenshin being called worthless, but he suppressed the emotion. //And miss all these wonderful conversations with you? I think not. I can't get under Kenshin's skin this easily. I'm rather enjoying our little chat.// 

Bakura suppressed another growl. This was getting him nowhere. He decided to try a new tactic. {{What if helping me coincided with your own interests?}} Bakura asked. 

//Hmph. What interests of mine could possibly coincide with yours?// Battousai said, in a bored tone. 

{{The health of the little red head you seem so fond of, of course. Unless you want him to find himself with a one-way ticket to the Shadow Realm in your place,}} Bakura replied, smugly. 

Battousai didn't even hesitate. //Kenshin can take care of himself,// he said, his tone unconcerned. 

Bakura wasn't convinced. {{Yes, it worked so well last time. Were it not for that little trick of his, he would already be disposed of. I wonder how much longer the little boy will last without the aid of his manslayer friend?}} Bakura sneered. 

// You know, I gave you way too much credit. You really are stupid.// 

{{What?!}} 

//You keep referring to me as the _manslayer_ and the _hitokiri_ when in fact _Battousai_ is just a name I borrowed from Kenshin. He earned that name, not me. He's just letting me borrow it so he has a name to call me by. He's the one you need to be worried about finding you. The funny thing is, your hikari is smarter than you are. He figured it out three days ago while I practically had to spell it out for you!// Battousai said, laughing. 

Bakura fumed. This was not going as he had planned. He had been so sure that Kenshin was Battousai's weakness. But there still might be a way... {{Your hikari isn't nearly as powerful now that he doesn't have the Mask. How long do you think he will last against my shadow magic?}} Bakura probed, trying to feel any emotion from Battousai at his words. There was none. Battousai was too good at concealing his feelings. 

//You really don't get it. Kenshin only needs to see an attack once before he can come up with a way to counter it. You already missed your chance. Kenshin won't let you get him in a position to attack him again until he's ready for it.// Despite his words, Battousai wasn't very sure of himself. Shadow magic was a hard thing to counter if one did not possess similar powers. Bakura's shadow magic could possibly be canceled out by Yami's shadow magic, but Kenshin would have to trust Yami to allow that to happen. That might pose a problem if Kenshin thought that Battousai had betrayed him. And that was only if Kenshin wanted to get the Mask back. Kenshin's words at their last encounter didn't seem to suggest he wanted it back. 

The more Battousai thought about it, the more depressed he became. _That's odd,_ he thought as he analyzed his feelings, _I don't usually tend to brood over things. Kenshin does._ The more he thought about it, the more abstract the feeling became. With a start, Battousai realized that the emotion was not his own. _But it's not Bakura's--he's feeling very irritated right now, but not depressed. But then..._ His thoughts trailed off. Now that he realized it wasn't his, he was able to examine the feeling more thoroughly. It had a very familiar ki signature around it. _Kenshin!_ Battousai realized with a start, _I can still feel Kenshin's emotions! Eight years together must have given us a stronger bond than I realized!_ he thought, excitedly. He decided to test how strong the bond was. 

//Kenshin. Kenshin, can you hear me?// Battousai called, being sure to close his link with Bakura first. The feeling of depression abruptly shifted to one of confusion. 

/Battousai?/ came the uncertain reply. Battousai was ecstatic. 

//Kenshin! Apparently, we can still talk to each other!// Battousai said, excitedly. The feeling of confusion shifted once again, this time to anger. 

/Oh, goody,/ Kenshin said, dryly. This was not, in his opinion, an improvement. 

Battousai's enthusiasm faded away at Kenshin's response. //I'm sorry. It was an accident,// Battousai apologized. 

Kenshin was torn. On one hand, he was overjoyed to be able to talk to Battousai again, but on the other, he was still upset that Battousai had betrayed him. /You think that an apology is going to make it alright? You know everything that has ever happened to me. You knew that this was the worst possible thing you could do to me!/ Kenshin's anger had come back in full swing. He had always been honest in how he felt with Battousai, and now he was falling back into that habit. He had never tried to conceal his emotions from his yami, and Battousai usually got the brunt of Kenshin's anger. But, the same was usually true vice-versa. 

//Don't even try to blame this situation on me! It's just as much your fault as it is mine! How could you leave me at home like that?! After everything we've been through the past eight years, you just toss me aside like some worthless trinket you got tired of!// Battousai's temper was rising at the same rate as Kenshin's. 

/Some worthless trinket? If you think about it, all you really are is a Mask! A Mask with incredible powers, but a Mask just the same! I wouldn't have left you at home if you would allow me to have friends other than you!/ 

//And I suppose being a bloodstained hitokiri like yourself is any better?! You don't need friends! They're just a good way to get yourself killed!// 

/Then why are you contacting me? Did I not learn your lesson well enough the first time? Do you wish to teach it to me again?!/ 

Battousai paused. He realized what he had just said was completely contradictory. He wanted Kenshin to trust him after a betrayal, while shunning those Kenshin trusted who had yet to betray him. There was a long pause in which Battousai felt both his and Kenshin's anger fading away. The silence stretched on for a few more seconds. 

//Feel better?// 

/Actually, yes. You?/ 

Battousai chuckled. //Yeah. Look, Kenshin, I'm sorry. I guess I was just so used to being the only one you could confide in that, well, I guess I got a little jealous,// Battousai admitted. 

Kenshin sighed mentally. /I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have left you at home, but after you threatened Yugi and Ryou I wasn't sure you wouldn't come out in the middle of class and do the same thing,/ Kenshin said, his voice apologetic. /But, why did you tell Bakura my weakness? Were you really that upset with me?/ 

Battousai cringed in embarrassment. //Well, uh, actually, Kenshin, I uh, I was kinda taunting him and it just, uh, slipped out...// Battousai trailed off. 

/Oro?/ Kenshin couldn't help it--he started laughing. The situation just seemed so funny all of a sudden. Their arguments, accusations, the entire situation--all because of several silly mistakes. Kenshin hadn't realized how much he needed Battousai. He could tell Battousai everything, which served as a release for all of his feelings. Keeping all those strong emotions suppressed within oneself was very taxing on the body. Not only had talking to Battousai served as a release of those emotions, but they had also cleared up the problems that had created those emotions. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door to Kenshin's room. /I've got to go now. Someone's knocking on my door. But rest assured--I _will_ get you back./ And then the link was severed. 

~*~ 


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of importance in this story. 

**Chapter 24**

Kenshin severed the connection with Battousai and looked at the door. "Hai?" he asked. 

"Kenshin, may I come in?" It was Grandpa. 

"Hai," Kenshin replied. 

Grandpa walked into the room and looked at Kenshin. "It's about time we changed those bandages," he said, gesturing for Kenshin to walk into the bathroom. 

"But, Grandpa, I can change them myself. I don't need you to do it for me," Kenshin complained, as he walked towards the bathroom. 

"I know you're more than capable of changing them yourself, Kenshin. I just want to make sure you haven't re-opened your wounds again," Grandpa replied, following Kenshin. They had this same discussion every night since Kenshin had been released. 

"I already promised you that I'd be more careful," Kenshin persisted. 

"Just humor an old man." 

Kenshin sighed. "Hai," he said, defeated. Kenshin didn't expect to win the argument, but if he argued every night, Grandpa might get tired of arguing with him and leave him be. Kenshin could hope, at any rate. 

~*~ 

Bakura was tired. He wasn't used to possessing Ryou so frequently without the boy's knowledge, plus the strain of using shadow magic when fighting Kenshin was really taking a toll on him. He needed to retreat to his soul room and get some much-needed rest. Battousai had been silent for the past fifteen minutes, which was a record time for him, so Bakura assumed he was already asleep in his soul room. Deciding it was now safe to do so, Bakura relinquished control back to Ryou. He decided he would watch for a few minutes more to see if Battousai tried to take over the body. He had cast a spell that should prohibit the hitokiri from doing so, but Bakura always liked to watch and make sure it worked. Ryou was more than a little confused to find himself not only at home, but that it was already dark outside. He sighed, wondering what his yami had done this time. Bakura decided that Battousai would not be coming out, and went to get some much-needed rest. 

Battousai, for his part, had been watching and waiting for the right time. Bakura was an idiot to let Battousai have full access to his emotions like that. Battousai could feel that Bakura was tired, and he could feel when he left the body, but still stayed alert. _He's probably waiting to see if I will try to come out. Burei-mono,_ Battousai thought to himself. Either Bakura was just plain stupid or he was so conceited that he continued to underestimate his opponents. _Ah, well, he'll learn soon enough. Never take an opportunity for granted, ne?_ Battousai thought, as he felt Bakura falling asleep. He waited until he was sure Bakura was fast asleep before turning his attention back to Ryou. He could just take over his body by force, but Battousai was more honorable than that. He had only once taken over Kenshin's body after they had been able to communicate without Kenshin's consent to do so, and that had started the fight that led to the Mask being taken. Besides, this was one of Kenshin's friends. 

//Ryou,// he called, softly, hoping he wouldn't startle the boy, //Can you hear me?// 

Apparently, his yami didn't talk to him very often because Ryou dropped the book he was holding, his eyes darting around the room searching for the location of the voice he'd just heard. "Who's there?" he demanded, his tone almost threatening. 

Battousai was surprised, especially since he could feel Ryou's fear radiating from the boy in waves. //Relax, I'm not technically in the room. I'm in your mind,// Battousai said, soothingly. It would not be good if Ryou accidentally woke up his yami with his strong emotions. Battousai was surprised to feel Ryou's fear replaced by curiosity. 

{Who are you? Your voice sounds vaguely familiar, but Bakura is the only one who has access to my mind. What are you doing here?} he asked. 

Battousai was surprised yet again at how calmly this boy was reacting to the situation. //Before we continue this conversation any further, I need you to shield your thoughts and emotions from Bakura. It won't do either one of us any good if the thief were to accidentally wake up,// Battousai commanded. 

Ryou smiled a little sheepishly. {I'm afraid I don't know how to do that,} he admitted. 

Battousai sighed. //Alright, now listen carefully. You need to imagine something solid, like a wall, between you and whoever your trying to block out. You must keep that wall intact for as long as you want to keep them out of your mind. Just be careful not to block me out as well,// Battousai explained. 

Ryou did as he was told. {I recognize your voice, now. It's so similar to Kenshin's, but there is an underlying edge in your tone that is usually not present in his. You're Battousai, aren't you?} Ryou asked, no fear at present in his voice. 

This child was just full of surprises. //Yes, I am,// he confirmed Ryou's guess. 

{So, if I am now able to talk to you, then that would mean that Bakura probably stole the Mask from Kenshin. Kenshin's not hurt, is he?!} Ryou asked, as he fully realized what his having the Mask meant. 

Battousai allowed himself to smile mentally at the concern he was now feeling from Ryou. //No, Kenshin had left the Mask at home. Although, I'm not sure how he found it--Kenshin is usually better at hiding things then that,// Battousai said as an after thought. 

Ryou shrugged. {Well, Bakura is a thief, and a good one at that. Besides, even if he did have any trouble finding it, he could always use the Ring to help him,} Ryou said. 

He had piqued Battousai's curiosity. //The Ring? What exactly is the power of the Ring?// Battousai asked. 

{The Ring can hone in on the location of other Millennium Items. Once found, these spikes will point towards it,} Ryou explained, taking the Ring out from under his shirt and holding it so Battousai could look at it through his eyes. 

{Well, I suppose I'd better find the Mask and give it back to Kenshin. I can talk to you, so it must be somewhere on my person,} Ryou said, as he started searching through his pockets. 

//Hold on, Ryou. I believe Bakura may have cast a spell on the Mask that would alert him if you touched it. He obviously doesn't want you to know about it, so you're powerless to do anything right now. Might I take control of your body?// Battousai asked. 

Ryou blinked in surprise. He had just expected Battousai to take over by force, like Bakura always did. It felt a little weird being asked for permission. {Sure,} he replied, uncertainly. 

Battousai concentrated, willing himself out of the Mask and into Ryou's body. Almost immediately, Battousai felt immense pain shoot throughout every fiber of his being. He cried out at the intensity of it, but managed to shield most of it from Ryou before the pain became too much to bear and the darkness claimed him. 

~*~ 

After Grandpa was satisfied that Kenshin's wounds were healing nicely, he sent Kenshin to bed while he went downstairs to double check and make sure everything was locked up for the night. Kenshin went to his room, but decided on trying to contact Battousai again before going to sleep. 

Kenshin opened up his mind, searching for the familiar presence. He found it and opened the link. He was about to say something to alert Battousai to his presence when he was suddenly consumed with pain. It shot through his entire being like electricity, setting his nerves on fire. He cried out as he hit the floor, writhing in agony. 

Yami, who had been in Yugi's room, felt shadow magic being activated in the distance. He was about to say something to Yugi about it when he heard Kenshin cry out, followed by the sound of something hitting the floor. Grandpa was downstairs so he didn't hear it, but Yami rushed out of his room and into Kenshin's. 

Yami flung open the door and was more than a little surprised at the sight that greeted his eyes. There was Kenshin, lying on the floor. His face was pale, covered with beads of perspiration and he was twitching spasmodically. Yami quickly looked at Kenshin's window. Shut and locked, and there had been no one in the hallway. Yami went over to Kenshin, who had stopped twitching and was lying still on the floor. He put two fingers on Kenshin's neck, while watching his chest. Kenshin's pulse was fast, his breathing was shallow and a little ragged. Yami did a quick examination of Kenshin to find out what had caused him to pass out. He could find no wounds anywhere on Kenshin's body, however Yami noticed that Kenshin's breathing was slowly becoming deeper and more rhythmic. Deciding that he would probably be recovered in the morning, Yami placed Kenshin in his bed and exited the room, closing the door behind him. His questions would have to wait. 

~*~ 

The next morning, Kenshin was fine. He didn't say a word about what had happened last night, and it wasn't until they were already on their way to school that Yami got a chance to ask him about it. As soon as they were out of sight of the game shop, Yami took control of Yugi. 

"Kenshin, what happened last night?" Yami asked, not wasting any time. Kenshin did not seem surprised by Yami's unexpected appearance. 

"What do you mean, Yami?" Kenshin asked, innocently. 

"Last night, I heard you cry out. I went to your room only to find you lying on the floor, unconscious. No one was in the general vicinity to attack you, and you didn't have any new wounds on your body. What happened?" Yami asked, again. He was quickly learning that you had to be very specific with your questions to get a direct answer from Kenshin. 

The red head became serious. "I don't know," he admitted. Before he could elaborate, Joey came up and joined them. Yami quickly allowed Yugi to take back control while he pondered this new lack of news. Kenshin didn't know what had happened, and Yami was fairly certain that the boy was not lying. He decided that he would have to speak with Ryou about that shadow magic he had felt just before Kenshin passed out. 

~*~ 

At lunch, Yugi was fairly surprised when Ryou caught his eye and discreetly motioned for them to go outside. Once again, they sat under a tree outside in a relatively secluded area to talk in private. This time, however, Kenshin decided to follow them. Since he was not specifically invited, Kenshin thought it would be rude to eavesdrop openly, so he settled himself on the other side of the tree, instead. 

Yugi spoke first. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked. 

Ryou made sure he was blocking Bakura from his mind, like Battousai had taught him, before answering. "Bakura has the Mask," he blurted out. 

Yugi looked surprised, but then there was a flash of light and Yami took his place. Yami also looked a little shocked. "How do you know this? Did you see him take it?" Yami inquired. Bakura didn't usually allow Ryou to witness what he did. 

Ryou shook his head. "No, I was able to talk to Battousai last night for a short while," he explained. 

"If you were able to talk to Battousai, then that must mean that the Mask is somewhere on your person. Have you tried looking for it?" Yami asked. Getting the Mask back might be easier than he thought. 

Ryou shook his head again. "No, Battousai seemed to think that Bakura might have put a spell on it that would alert him if I touched it. He obviously doesn't want me to know about it, and he'd probably took control of my body before I could actually do anything. I know that Bakura has put at least one spell on it," Ryou said, the last part spoken more to himself. 

It caught Yami's attention. "What do you mean, you know Bakura has already put one spell on it? What type of spell?" Yami asked. 

"I think it's some sort of binding spell. Last night, Battousai asked if he could take over my body. I agreed; but, when he tried, something happened. I guess he hit a barrier of some sort and isn't able to leave the Mask. I think it was pretty painful because he screamed and then I think he passed out. I'm not sure because I haven't been able to talk to him since, but I can feel that he's still there," Ryou explained. 

//He was so scared of what happened to me, that he's blocking me from his mind, even though he doesn't realize it. And I can't even break through! Who would have thought that someone who just learned to put up mental barriers could make ones so strong?!// Battousai complained. 

/Well, hello to you, too,/ Kenshin said. He paused. /You can hear what Ryou and Yami are saying?/ he asked. 

//Well, not exactly. I'm kinda getting all of this from your mind since Ryou closed his to me,// Battousai said, a little sheepishly. 

Kenshin sighed mentally. /Even when I finally get rid of you, I still have no privacy,/ he said, in a melancholy voice, even though there was a smile on his lips. 

//Oh, get over it.// Battousai didn't want to miss any of the conversation between Yami and Ryou. 

Yami's eyes widened at Ryou's words. "You said this happened last night?" Yami asked. Ryou nodded. "That's very strange, indeed," he muttered, to himself. 

Now it was Ryou who was interested in Yami's comment to himself. "What's strange, Yami?" he asked, a little confused. It seemed to be a basic enough spell. What was so strange about that? 

"Yami looked up as if just remembering that Ryou was still there. "It's just that, well, last night I felt some shadow magic. I assume it was the spell on the Mask being activated when Battousai tried to leave. The strange thing is, immediately after I felt the shadow magic, Kenshin screamed. I ran into his room to find him unconscious on the floor. By the looks of it, he had experienced a lot of pain, but there was no wound on his body and there was no way for anyone to have entered his room. He doesn't know what happened, but I wonder if the two events are connected?" Yami said, thinking out loud. Ryou was equally stunned. 

//Is that true?// Battousai asked. He had shielded Ryou from the pain, but he didn't even think about Kenshin. 

/Yes. I was going to talk to you some more before I went to bed, but as soon as I opened the link all I felt was the pain,/ Kenshin explained. 

//I'm sorry.// 

/Don't worry about it. It wasn't your fault./ 

"At any rate, it appears that we are going to have to face Bakura sooner or later to get the Mask back," Yami said. "Kenshin is apparently still connected to Battousai somehow. This may work to our advantage. Kenshin gave me a few more days to convince him to help me get the Mask from Bakura, although he is still adamant that he does not want the Mask back," Yami explained to Ryou. 

Kenshin felt Battousai's temper rise a little at the new information. /Don't even start. We already discussed this./ Battousai's anger did not completely fade, but it did decrease somewhat. 

"Well then, let's meet on Saturday. I should have Kenshin convinced by then and it would be better if we were to do this somewhere secluded, to decrease the chances of bystanders getting injured," Yami said. Ryou agreed, and they went on to discuss the time and the place. 

Kenshin, however, had other plans. /Battousai, Can you talk to Bakura without Ryou knowing?/ Kenshin asked. 

Battousai smirked. //Easily,// he said, confidently. 

/I have a favor to ask of you. I want you to tell Bakura that Ryou knows about the Mask and that Yami is planning on taking it back on Saturday./ 

//What?! Are you insane?! It will be that much harder if he knows!// Battousai thought Kenshin was finally starting to lose it. 

/Listen to me! Tell him that I'll meet him alone after school in the alley where we first met, to finish things. It'll just be him and me./ 

//I still think you're crazy.// 

/Trust me./ 

As much as Battousai trusted his hikari, he couldn't resist a peek into Kenshin's mind to see what was going through his head. He liked what he saw. //Ah, I see. Heh, heh, heh--this should prove to be very interesting indeed.// 

Kenshin rose to return to the lunch room as Yami's and Ryou's conversation was coming to a close and he wanted to be back before they were. /So, will you relay my challenge to him?/ Kenshin asked, as he started walking away. 

//Oh, don't worry, Kenshin. He'll be there,// Battousai said, smirking to himself. //He'll be there.// 

~*~ 

Japanese terms: 

burei-mono - insolent fool 


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of importance in this story. 

**Chapter 25**

Kenshin returned to the lunch room and rejoined the others, leaving Battousai alone once again. Since he could no longer listen in on Ryou and Yami's conversation, he decided to inform Bakura of what they were discussing. 

//Oh, Bakuuuuraaaaaa. Where aaaare youuuuuuuu? Bakuuuuraaaaaaaa...// Battousai called out, in an annoying sing-song voice. 

{{Shut up! What do you want, kono mushikera me?!}} Bakura demanded, annoyed. He had been sleeping before Battousai's irritating voice woke him up. 

//I just wanted to talk. Don't you like talking to me?// Battousai asked, in mock hurt. He enjoyed being the bane of Bakura's existence. 

{{I enjoy talking to you less than I enjoy the punishment for getting caught stealing from the Pharaoh's treasury! What is it you want?!}} Bakura replied. He fervently hoped Battousai didn't feel like talking for very long. 

//Oh, and here I was trying to be nice and warn you of an upcoming ambush. Well, if you don't wish to hear me out, then I'll be quiet. I'm sure you can handle Yami all on your own,// Battousai said, with practiced indifference. 

Bakura suddenly became much more attentive. {{What did you say? Yami is planning to ambush me?! When?!}} Bakura demanded. 

Battousai yawned. //Oh, I believe they're planning it sometime on Saturday,// he said, off-handedly. 

{{Why are you telling me this? I would think that you would be eager to be taken away from me,}} Bakura asked, suspiciously. 

Battousai acted surprised. //Did I say that? What difference would it make as to whether you had me as opposed to Yami? I'm actually trying to help you. Kenshin wants to meet with you today after school, to settle things. It will just be you and him--and me, of course, unless you leave me somewhere else. You could eliminate him and prevent Yami from double-teaming with him on Saturday,// Battousai said, casually. 

Bakura's pride kicked in. {{I could take down both of them! I don't need to fight them one at a time!}} he said, arrogantly. 

Battousai laughed mockingly. //Oh, yes, you've done a fine job of taking out Yami, so far. I've only been present once when you attacked him and it was an ambush. I know it wasn't the first and you couldn't even take him out then! Besides, I'm sure you remember what I told you about Kenshin. He obviously thinks that he has some way to avoid shadow magic without the Mask. Don't tell me you're afraid to fight that frail, little _boy_ who doesn't even have the benefit of one Millennium Item while you have _two_?! Don't tell me that I underestimated you. The odds are more than stacked in your favor and you're backing out? You're even more pathetic than I thought...// Battousai said, sneering. He had felt Bakura's anger rise exponentially while he was talking. He just hoped Bakura was blinded enough by rage to miss a few little details, such as how Battousai had found out Kenshin wanted to fight him alone. 

Bakura couldn't take a hit to his pride like that sitting down. {{You dare to call me a coward?! I could easily kill Kenshin anytime I wanted! And I think I will do just that! Where was it you said he wanted to meet?!}} Bakura practically yelled. If Battousai's precious little hikari wanted to fight, then it would be a battle he would not walk away from! 

Battousai smirked. //In the alley where we first met. He'll be waiting there after school.// 

{{Fine. I hope you really aren't too attached to that foolish mortal, because he just signed his own death wish.}} 

//Hmph. We'll see. It should be an interesting battle between you two,// Battousai said, still smirking. 

Bakura was silent, contemplating all the different ways he would make Kenshin suffer for all the trouble he and the Pharaoh had caused the thief. Oh yes, he would pay. They both would. 

~*~ 

After school, Kenshin started walking home with Yami. The spirit had redoubled his efforts in trying to get Kenshin to help him retrieve the Mask, since he now had a deadline. Kenshin, for his part, didn't want to arouse Yami's suspicions by suddenly having a change of heart, so he was staying with his previous decision. 

"Yami, I still don't see how I can help you," Kenshin argued. It was getting repetitive, both he and Yami using the same arguments. 

"Kenshin, I told you before, if you tell me what weakness of yours that Battousai told Bakura, we can work together to counter it," Yami said, persuasively. 

Kenshin shook his head in defeat. "Fine. Without the Mask, I am no longer able to dodge shadow magic," Kenshin replied, sullenly. 

Yami blinked. He hadn't been expecting Kenshin to actually tell him, but he saw this as Kenshin leaning towards a decision to help Yami. Kenshin saw it as a way to prolong the argument. "Kenshin, I can't dodge shadow magic and neither can Bakura. I don't see how that puts you at a disadvantage," Yami said. 

Kenshin shook his head, again. "That's because you have shadow powers to counter Bakura's. I don't," Kenshin said, shrugging. 

"Ah, without Battousai, you can't use shadow magic," Yami nodded his head in understanding. 

"No, I told you last night--Battousai doesn't have shadow powers, either," Kenshin said. Yami looked at him, obviously confused, so Kenshin continued. "The Mask does not grant its user access to shadow powers, as do some of the other items. It will only enhance the user's physical abilities beyond what they already are. For example," Kenshin disappeared from Yami's side, only to reappear at the end of the block. He waited until Yami looked up and saw him before running back, seeming to reappear next to Yami. Needless to say, Yami was considerably surprised. 

Kenshin continued, as if he hadn't interrupted himself. "I can move very fast without the Mask. Having it boosts my speed to the point where I am fast enough to dodge shadow magic. That was my only defense against it. If Battousai decides to help Bakura, then Bakura will have access to time travel via the Mask and Battousai will have access to shadow powers via the Ring," Kenshin explained. Yami seemed to be panicking slightly. 

"Kenshin, if that's true, then we don't have any more time to waste! We have to get the Mask back now!" As far as Yami was concerned, Kenshin had just moved up the deadline. 

Kenshin seemed to realize his mistake and hastened to correct it. "Yami, calm down. Battousai will wait until he has some sort of leverage over Bakura before allowing himself to be put into a remotely vulnerable position. Asking for access to Bakura's shadow powers shows that he himself has none. He will not negotiate with Bakura until he is sure any information he gives cannot be used against him. We have quite some time, yet," Kenshin said, reassuringly. Yami seemed to accept it. 

They were about halfway home, when Kenshin suddenly stopped and started searching through his bag looking for something. Apparently not finding it, he groaned. "Oh, man! I must have left it at school," he complained, more to himself than to Yami. 

"What did you forget, Kenshin?" Yami asked, curiously. 

"I need to finish this assignment and turn it in tomorrow, but I think I left it in my locker. I have to go back and get it," Kenshin said, as he turned to walk back the way they came. 

"I'll go with you," Yami offered. 

Kenshin shook his head. "No, you go on home and tell Grandpa I had to go back and get something from school, so he doesn't worry. I'll be home a little later, okay?" Kenshin asked. 

Yami nodded. "I'll see you at home," he said, as he continued walking towards the shop. 

"Thanks, Yami!" Kenshin called as he headed back in the other direction. He waited until Yami was out of sight before he changed his course. _I wonder if Bakura's already there waiting for me?_ he wondered, as he made his way towards the alley. 

~*~ 

Bakura knew how to invade Ryou's mind, but he didn't know how to block Ryou from his mind. It didn't really matter because while Ryou had just learned how to put up mental barriers, he didn't know how to enter Bakura's mind. Battousai found the whole situation quite humorous, and wondered if the same was true for Yami and Yugi. 

Bakura was allowing Ryou to walk home, as the alley where he and Kenshin were to meet was along the way. Battousai, with nothing better to do, decided to see what was going on in Bakura's mind. He was debating about something. 

_Should I take it with me?_ Bakura wondered. Battousai listened, trying to figure out what he was talking about. 

_On one hand, if Kenshin does defeat me, he'll take it back. Not that he _can_ defeat me, but just in case... I mean, I underestimated him the last two times we faced off, and I **WON'T** be making that same mistake again..._

Battousai became very worried when he realized Bakura was talking about the Mask. He had to be there! Kenshin's plan wouldn't work otherwise! Battousai was a key part of it! Battousai, realizing his emotions would be felt by Bakura, hastened to block them from the other spirit. _Wait a minute,_ Battousai thought, to himself, _Bakura won't be able to tell whether this feeling is his or not. This might actually help..._ Battousai slowly dropped the barrier he'd erected and allowed his anxiety to flow into Bakura, just a little bit at first, but building quickly. Bakura reacted as Battousai had predicted. 

_No, I **MUST** take the Mask with me! I will not lose if I have it, but defeat may come to me if I do not! After all, I may need it to dodge some of Kenshin's attacks..._ Bakura thought, almost frantically. Battousai allowed himself to sigh in relief, his fear fading away, leaving Bakura thinking he had made the right decision. 

Battousai, confident that Bakura wouldn't change his mind, decided to check on Ryou. Ryou had inadvertently dropped his barrier during a test in his last class and had not yet put up another one. Bakura might not be able take over his body if Ryou was blocking him from his mind, so it was crucial to Kenshin's plan that Ryou's mental barrier stay down. It would have been easier to test the theory and have Ryou erect a mental barrier and then try to give the Mask to Kenshin, but there was always the possibility that Bakura break it down. He was very familiar with Ryou's mind, after all, and that made it easier for him to break through Ryou's barriers if he knew what he was doing. All in all, it was just easier to assume that he could and act accordingly. 

Seeing them draw near the allotted alley, Battousai alerted Bakura. //We're almost there, just in case you wanted to know,// he said, being sure to block Ryou from his mind. 

{{Why are you so eager to go? What do you know that I do not?}} Bakura demanded, suspiciously. 

//Oh, come off it. I'm just eager to see a fight between you two. Kenshin has done some amazing--nigh, impossible--things in the past and I'm curious as to what he has in store for you today,// Battousai replied, casually. It would not do to get Bakura nervous now, even if he had decided to bring the Mask. 

Bakura did not respond. Instead, he took over Ryou's body and turned into the alleyway. He walked until he came to the dead end where Kenshin had first beaten him, and looked around. No one was there. 

{{Where's that worthless hikari of yours?}} he asked Battousai, irritated. He did not like to wait. 

//He's coming,// Battousai responded, feeling Kenshin's ki growing closer. Although he himself had never learned to sense ki, he had been with Kenshin when Hiko taught the boy. Kenshin had caught on fast and Battousai had searched his mind and borrowed some of his knowledge. It was one of the few abilities he and Kenshin both had. 

{{Well, he'd better hurry!}} Bakura snapped. 

//Patience, oh devious one,// Battousai said, mockingly. Bakura didn't even bother with a response. 

~*~ 

Kenshin decided it would be better to take the back alleys to his destination and, therefore, ensure he didn't see anyone he knew along the way. He was already late as it was. Unconsciously, he kept to the shadows, his long black coat making him difficult to see despite his blood red hair. He stopped just short of the alley when a sudden thought struck him. 

_What if Bakura hid the Mask somewhere?_ he thought, a little panicky. He was about to feel for Battousai's ki when he heard a familiar voice. 

//What took you so long?! Bakura is almost ready to leave!// Battousai scolded, as he felt Kenshin hesitate. 

Kenshin smiled. _Well, apparently that problem is taken care of,_ he thought, relieved. He walked into the alley. 

Bakura had made himself comfortable on a turned over trash can and was idly throwing rocks at the opposite wall. He didn't notice Kenshin walk into the alley. Kenshin stepped out of the shadows as he addressed Bakura. 

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I was detained," Kenshin said, smiling. 

Bakura, not hearing or seeing anyone come into the alley, jumped off of the trash can so fast it knocked over several other trashcans behind it. Bakura jumped again at the unexpected noise, and then turned to glare at Kenshin. "About time! Do you know how long I was waiting here?!" he demanded, acting annoyed as he tried to cover up his fear when Kenshin startled him. 

Kenshin just continued smiling. "Gomen nasai, it was a little difficult to get away without Yami becoming suspicious," Kenshin explained. 

Bakura's eyes narrowed at the mention of Yami. "Well, then, I think you stalled long enough. Shall we begin?" Bakura taunted. 

Kenshin's smile turned into a smirk. "Anytime you're ready," he replied. 

Bakura, intending to get this over and done with quickly, attacked first. 

//Dodge left!// 

Kenshin went to the left, narrowly missing the attack. 

~*~ 

Yugi was walking home when Yami felt shadow magic being used. He immediately took over Yugi's body, and rushed in the direction he had felt it coming from. He felt relieved when he noticed it came from a different direction than the school, where Kenshin had gone. He hoped he would get there in time to help whoever was in trouble. 

~*~ 

"Sasuga ni. But, can you dodge this?" 

//Right! Right! Jump! Left! Duck! Jump! Right! Duck! Stay down! Roll to the left! Left! Jump!// 

Kenshin followed Battousai's directions, miraculously avoiding tripping on any of the refuse littering the alley. 

"Impressive. You actually managed to dodge all of my attacks. Was it skill, or just luck, I wonder?" Bakura said, sneering. 

Kenshin remained silent. Why bother telling him that Battousai was in his mind, telling Kenshin where Bakura was going to attack next? 

"No comment? Then let's see how long you can keep this up, shall we?" Bakura began attacking again. 

//Left! Left! Left! Left! Don't move! Right! Jump! Duck! Right! Jump to the left! Duck! Right--// 

"KENSHIN!" 

Kenshin was distracted by the new voice and, as a consequence, tripped. Bakura saw his opportunity, and attacked. Kenshin couldn't get out of the way fast enough. Suddenly, another ball of shadow energy came from the side and hit Bakura's attack, sending the two careening off into the wall. Both Bakura and Kenshin turned to stare at the newcomer. 

"Kenshin, what are you doing?!" Yami demanded. He was standing in the entrance of the alley, his hand out-stretched. Kenshin rose to his feet. 

"So, you couldn't face me alone after all, could you? You were planning an ambush all along," Bakura spat. He couldn't believe he had fallen for such an old trick. 

Kenshin's eyes flashed at the accusation, and he turned to Bakura sharply. "Ore ni makasero," he said, without looking at Yami. 

"But Kenshin--" Yami started to argue. 

"Kondo wa zettai ni makenai," Kenshin said, "Don't try to interfere, Yami." 

\\That fool is going to get himself killed,\\ Yami said, angrily. 

\Maybe not. Kenshin's not that foolish--he must have some sort of plan,\ Yugi replied. 

Yami fell silent as Bakura started attacking Kenshin again. 

//Left! Right! Jump forward! Left! Duck! Stay down! Stay down! Roll to the right! Jump! Jump! Don't move! Duck! Left!// 

This continued with Kenshin slowly inching his way toward Bakura. Yami was fairly surprised at how well Kenshin was doing. Weren't they having a conversation moments ago about how defenseless against shadow magic Kenshin was? \\He must have been planning this,\\ Yami realized. Yugi didn't respond. 

//Duck! Jump! Right! Right! Duck! Roll to the left! Jump! Right! Now! Jump forward to the right!// 

Kenshin jumped forward, drawing his sword in one smooth motion. He landed beside Bakura, connecting the hilt with Bakura's left temple, stunning him. Kenshin spoke. "I've defeated you twice already and, while I believe in giving people second chances, a third chance is pushing it. I think a more permanent solution is in order. Yami? Since I don't have any shadow powers, would you like to do the honors?" Kenshin asked, as he stepped away from Bakura. It wasn't what he had planned on, but it worked out better this way. 

At first, Yami thought that Kenshin was going to kill Bakura, but was confused when Kenshin turned to him. At the mention of shadow magic, Yami understood what Kenshin was asking him. It had been something he'd been meaning to do for a long time. 

Yami threw out his hand, palm out, facing Bakura's stunned form, fingers spread wide. "Mind Crush!" Yami yelled. Everything seemed to freeze and lose its color, as though it was a negative from a picture. It was gone just as quickly as it had come and there was a short cry from Bakura. His back arched and his whole body tensed briefly, before falling limply to the ground. 

After a few seconds, Ryou blinked his eyes, and stood up slowly, holding on to Kenshin for support. He put a hand to his head. "Itai...What happened?" he asked, confused. 

Kenshin smiled, embarrassed. "Gomen, Ryou. I hit your temple with the hilt of my sword," he said, apologetically. Ryou just looked at him. 

"Bakura has been banished to the Shadow Realm," Yami said, walking up to them. Again, Ryou seemed to be having trouble articulating his words. 

Kenshin smiled at Ryou's stunned expression. "Let's get you home, ne? You should have a headache for awhile, but there will be no lasting damage," Kenshin said, as he led the boy out of the alley. Yami walked next to them. The walk to Ryou's house was spent mostly in silence, the only conversation taking place when Ryou had to tell them which way to go. Ryou only tripped once, forcing Kenshin, who was still supporting the stumbling boy, to catch him. Yugi had taken over once again and thought he saw a flash of gold in Kenshin's hand, but Kenshin had moved his hand before Yugi could examine it further. Yugi dismissed it as a trick of the light, because the sun was setting, and turned his mind to concentrating on other things, such as what they were going to tell Grandpa when they got home. 

~*~ 

Japanese terms: 

kono mushikera me - you insect 

sasuga ni - your skill is as I expected 

ore ni makasero - leave it to me 

kondo wa zettai ni makenai - this time I'm not going to lose 

itai - ouch 


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of importance in this story. 

**Chapter 26**

Kenshin and Yugi made sure Ryou got home alright, and then headed home themselves. It was just past dark when they entered the back of the shop. Grandpa had already closed, and was just waiting for them to get home. He looked at them as they came walking through the door. "And just where have you two been?" 

Kenshin smiled, apologetically. "Gomen, Grandpa. Yugi and I were on our way home when I realized that I had forgotten something in my locker. He went with me to get it, and along the way we ran into Ryou. I guess we just lost track of the time," Kenshin said. It was mostly true. 

Grandpa nodded. "All right, but call next time you're going to be late," he said, as he walked into the kitchen. 

Yugi just watched him as Kenshin walked upstairs towards his room. He was amazed at how well Kenshin concealed most of the truth while making the few parts he told very believable. Yugi would have believed him had he not witnessed the events of the afternoon himself. 

_Speaking of which..._ Yugi hurried up to Kenshin's room, and knocked on the door. 

"Hai?" came the slightly muffled reply. 

"Kenshin? Can I come in?" 

"Yugi? Yes, just a moment," Kenshin said, and there was the sound of the door being unlocked. 

_Why would he lock the door...?_ Yugi thought to himself as he walked inside Kenshin's room. 

Kenshin walked over and sat on his bed. "Now, what did you wish to speak with me about, Yugi?" Kenshin asked. He had a feeling it would be one of several topics, none of which he wanted to discuss. 

Yugi took a seat at Kenshin's desk. "You didn't leave any assignments at school, did you?" Yugi asked, getting right to the point. 

"Oh, I don't know. I may have left one or two there. After all, I have so many it's difficult to keep track of them all," Kenshin said, pretending to think about it. This was one of the topics he hoped Yugi would leave alone. 

Yugi sighed. "You didn't go back to the school to get an assignment when we were walking home, did you?" he asked, rephrasing the question. 

Kenshin considered making up a story about feeling Bakura's ki and going to investigate, but decided against it. Yugi deserved the truth--well, part of it, anyway. "No, Yugi. I didn't." 

"Why? Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you want me there when you and Bakura fought? Why did you want to fight Bakura at all? I thought you didn't care if he had the Mask," Yugi asked, his confusion showing clearly on his face. 

Kenshin sighed. "So many questions, Yugi," he said smiling. The smile quickly disappeared as he decided exactly how much he was going to tell Yugi. "Well, I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to interfere. True, Yami saved me from one of Bakura's attacks, but it was his shout that distracted me in the first place, and allowed Bakura an opening. And after you were there, Yami was reluctant to let me fight Bakura by myself. It was my fight. That is why I did not tell you--I needed to have no distractions in order to beat him," Kenshin explained. 

Yugi nodded his head to show he understood, although his expression clearly stated that he did not agree. "But, why did you suddenly want to beat Bakura?" 

"Let's just say something happened last night that changed my mind. Besides, with the exception of my master, no one has ever defeated me. Monday night's battle was a draw, and Bakura would have come after me sooner or later. I decided that I would have the element of surprise if I attacked first and soon after the initial battle," Kenshin continued. 

Yugi didn't look like he totally believed the second part of Kenshin's answer, but it was clear that Kenshin wasn't going to elaborate on the first part. He didn't press the issue. "How did you arrange to meet with Bakura?" 

"Did I say I arranged to meet with him? I believe that particular alley is on Ryou's way home from school, is not it?" Kenshin didn't deny setting up the meeting, but Yugi didn't notice. 

"How did you dodge Bakura's attacks?" 

Kenshin sighed again. "Yugi, explaining how I did that would be like me trying to explain how to execute Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's ultimate attack to someone who's never held a sword before, much less had any sort of kendo training. They don't even have the basic knowledge of stances or swings to even begin to comprehend the attack. Are there any other questions?" he said, annoyance starting to creep into his voice. Yugi seemed to notice. 

"Just one. Are you willing to take the Mask back?" 

Kenshin was a little surprised at that question. He thought about his words carefully before turning back to Yugi. "Yes," he finally said, "Battousai is a part of me, whether I sometimes like to admit it or not. I would not be opposed to having it back, although do not go out of your way to find it." 

Yugi nodded, and stood up. He walked to the door and opened it. He looked back at Kenshin. "I'll talk to Ryou about it tomorrow," he said, as he walked out and closed the door behind him. 

~*~ 

After Yugi left, Kenshin re-locked his door and went back to what he was doing before Yugi interrupted him--talking to Battousai. He pulled the Mask out from under his shirt, where he'd hid it when Yugi cam in, and idly ran his fingers over it as he communicated with his yami. 

Kenshin had picked Ryou's pocket on the way home and retrieved the Mask. It had been concealed in a secret pocket on Ryou's coat that could only be accessed from the outside. Most people wouldn't have noticed it--Kenshin didn't even see it--but his hand had brushed against it when he had caught Ryou and he knew immediately what was inside. He had taken the Mask without either Ryou's or Yugi-s knowledge, and he planned on keeping it that way. If no one knew he had the Mask, no one would try to take it from him. Yugi and Ryou would just think that Bakura hid it somewhere. There was only one potential problem. 

//Do you think that Ryou can control the Ring?// Battousai asked. 

/Why do you ask?/ 

//Well, if he can, he can use the Ring to find the Mask,// Battousai explained. 

/Well, I suppose we'll just have to hope he can't use it or he doesn't try./ 

Just then there was another knock on Kenshin's door. "Kenshin, dinner's ready," Grandpa informed him. 

"I'll be down in a minute," Kenshin replied. He dropped the Mask back under his shirt and headed downstairs. 

~*~ 

"I can't find it. I've looked everywhere," Ryou said, a little dejectedly. It was now Thursday and he and Yugi were sitting outside during their lunch period. Yugi had called Ryou the night before, telling him that Kenshin wanted the Mask back. Ryou had searched for it with the intent to return it to Kenshin at school, but he had not been able to find it. 

"That's not good. I wonder where Bakura would have put it?" Yugi wondered out loud. He saw Kenshin and called him over. "Hey, Kenshin!" 

Kenshin, who had just happened to be walking by, looked up when he heard his name and made his way over to Yugi and Ryou. "Yes, Yugi?" he asked, politely. 

"I'm sorry, but Ryou can't find where Bakura hid the Mask," he said, apologetically. To his surprise, Kenshin looked relieved. "I thought you wanted the Mask back?" he asked, confused. 

"Yugi, the only reason I told you I'd take the Mask back is because I didn't feel like arguing with you about it. I really don't want an arrogant spirit that can't seem to stop talking back in my mind," Kenshin replied. 

//What?! Kensh--// Battousai started, but Kenshin cut him off. 

/Don't even start. _Frail little boy_?! I looked into your memories and I know what you said about me to Bakura,/ Kenshin said, annoyed. 

Battousai fumed. //But that was to get him to meet you after school!// Battousai argued. 

/And this is just to convince Yugi and Ryou that I don't want the Mask back so they would keep looking for it!/ Kenshin smiled at Yugi, not betraying the argument that had just taken place in his head. "Don't worry about it, Yugi. I am rather relieved that Ryou could not find it." 

Yugi hesitated a bit longer, then he nodded his head. "Alright, Kenshin. If you're sure you don't want it back, then we won't look for it," he said. Kenshin nodded again, and resumed walking in the direction he had been before Yugi called him over. Yugi wasn't entirely convinced, but Kenshin never did anything without a reason, and the last time he'd tried to intervene he'd almost gotten Kenshin killed. 

~*~ 

After school, Kenshin decided to stop by the Fujita dojo. Grandpa hadn't been upset when he and Yugi had come back late last night, and he hadn't had the chance to practice his kata since before the tournament, and he thought this would be a good time to do so. He had been honest with Yugi when he asked where Kenshin was going. As a consequence, Yugi wanted to tag along and watch. Kenshin had no objections, so they started off toward the dojo. When they arrived, they knocked and Naomi answered the door. 

"Oh, hello, Kenshin. Haven't seen you in over a week. Master Fujita was wondering if you had found another dojo to practice at. Who is your friend?" Naomi asked, as she led the duo to the practice hall. 

"This is Yugi. He wanted to come watch me practice," Kenshin said, ignoring the implied question of his whereabouts the previous week. Naomi didn't press the issue. 

Naomi slid open the door to the practice hall and bowed. "Then I will leave you to your practice," she said, before she walked away. Kenshin walked in, follow closely by Yugi. Kenshin motioned for Yugi to have a seat by the wall and walked over and deposited his coat and katana on the floor next to a different wall. He was careful not to let Yugi see his katana, although the short boy already knew he usually carried one with him at all times. 

Kenshin then walked over and selected the bokken he would be using for the practice. After finding a suitable one, he walked to the center of the room and closed his eyes. He slowed his breathing while blocking out everything around him. He fell into the beginning stance, and started his kata. He started out with slow, gentle motions, but they soon became quick and forceful. Kenshin went through all of his attacks, starting with the basics and moving on to the more powerful ones. He flung his body into every attack, just as he would in an actual fight, expending all of his energy. His breathing became heavier, and sweat was starting to run down his face, but he kept up the strenuous pace he had set for himself. On an impulse, after he had completed the last attack his master had taught him, he tried to execute a "Ku-zu-ryu-sen." Surprisingly enough, he executed it flawlessly and it flowed along with his kata. Having completed his attacks, he began decreasing the strength and speed behind the swings for the last part of his kata. He went through the 'cool down' swings, and by the time he was finished his breathing had returned to normal. 

The entire practice session had taken about an hour to complete. Yugi was speechless. Kenshin had started out relatively fast, and then he had just become a blur. At one point, Yugi couldn't even see him! He would just get glimpses of Kenshin as he paused for a split second to change stances before rushing into the next attack. Most of the time Yugi would only hear the swing of the bokken slicing through the air. Yugi shuddered as he got a mental picture of Kenshin in a dark alley with a real sword, doing these attacks on real people. Yugi was brought out of his morbid thoughts as he noticed that Kenshin was now moving at a slower speed, allowing Yugi to see him. Soon after that, Kenshin stopped moving entirely, and just stood still for a few seconds before calmly walking over to the wall and replacing the bokken. Kenshin's expression was serious as he walked over and collected his coat. 

Yugi, sensing Kenshin was getting ready to leave, got up as well, his foot scarping on the wooden floor. Kenshin whirled at the sound, smoothly drawing his katana from its sheath and falling into a fighting stance in one smooth motion. He was startled to see that it was only Yugi and hastened to apologize. "I'm sorry, Yugi. I got so caught up in my kata that I guess I forgot you were here," Kenshin explained apologetically, re-sheathing his sword and replacing it under his coat. 

Yugi was a little surprised. \Kenshin thought an enemy was behind him and was getting ready to attack. He's so serious all of the time,\ Yugi commented to Yami as he walked over to Kenshin and followed him out of the dojo. 

\\Well, a month ago he probably would have been killed had he not reacted that fast,\\ Yami said, logically. 

\Yeah, I know; but, still, he's so serious all of the time. He's no longer fighting a war. When's he just gonna relax?\ 

\\It's not that simple, aibou. He isn't thinking about what he's doing, these are just his reflexes. He needed to rely on heavily them during the Bakumatsu and they have become ingrained. Over time he may learn to suppress them, but they will always be there,\\ Yami explained. 

Yugi shook his head sadly. He felt bad for Kenshin. He hadn't had an easy life. _It'll get better_ Yugi thought to himself, _I'll make sure of that._

~*~ 


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of importance in this story.

**Chapter 27**

Friday passed rather uneventfully, but Yugi had plans for Saturday. He had talked to Grandpa and got some spending money for both he and Kenshin. Yugi had decided that he was going to help Kenshin relax, and what was the best place to just kick back and hang out with your friends? The mall, of course! 

"So, where are we going, Yugi?" Kenshin asked as he walked beside the shorter boy. 

"The mall," Yugi replied. 

"Gomen, Yugi, but what is 'the mall'?" 

Yugi stopped for a moment before he resumed walking. "That's right, I keep forgetting your from the Bakumatsu. The mall is basically a whole bunch of stores put together in one building. Instead of running all around town to go to all those stores, you can just go to the mall instead." Yugi explained. 

Kenshin nodded his head in understanding. "So, it's basically like the market place." 

"Uh, I guess so. I don't really know, actually." Yugi admitted. 

"Well, we'll find out when we get there, suppose." 

They walked on in silence for a few minutes before coming to a very large building. Kenshin was impressed by the size of it, but was hurried inside by Yugi. Kenshin walked up to the glass doors and stepped inside. Immediately to his left was a room that looked similar to the arcade Yugi and his friends liked to go to. Further down on the other side there was a place that looked like it sold some sort of circular bread with a hole in the center (Author Note: Kenshin is describing a doughnut). Beyond that, the room opened up quite a bit. Kenshin walked up to the railing and found that he was standing on the second floor. There were more stores across from him, all lined up on after another, displaying what they were selling. He then noticed they all had bright signs above the entrance, saying what the name of the store was. He looked down and saw more stores on the bottom floor, but there were also booths set up in the middle of the walkway, displaying more merchandise. Just then, Yugi came over to him. 

"Come on, Kenshin! Don't just stand there staring all day. Let's go down there!" Yugi said, pulling his arm. 

Kenshin allowed the short boy to lead him to a set of stairs. Much to Kenshin's surprise, the stairs were moving! He pulled back instinctively, but Yugi just stepped on and allowed the stairs to take him down to the floor below. Kenshin, after a little more hesitation, followed Yugi's example. Kenshin stepped onto the moving staircase with closed eyes and waited. Oddly enough, it didn't feel like he was moving. Opening his eyes he saw that yes, he was moving, but it felt as if he were standing still. _Very strange indeed,_ he thought to himself. When he reached the bottom, he stepped off. Not realizing that while he wasn't moving, the stairs were, and that gave him a little extra momentum. As a result, he almost fell from the extra momentum when stepped off the stairs and stopped. He caught himself, only stumbling slightly, as he realized his mistake. 

Kenshin looked around for Yugi. He saw the short boy disappear into one of the stores. Kenshin started to make his way over there. He was walking past one of the booths in the middle of the walk way when he happened to glance up and make eye contact with the vendor. Kenshin stopped, staring. Battousai, who had still been asleep, woke up when he felt Kenshin's anxiety. 

/./Kenshin, what's wrong?/./ Battousai asked, concerned. Kenshin was not one to be scared easily. 

/This man--he has two different colored eyes! One of them is green, and the other one is red!/ 

/./What?!/./ Battousai asked, incredulously. He looked through Kenshin's eyes. Sure enough, there was a man with one green eye and the other one bright red. Kenshin's left hand unconsciously strayed to his sword. 

"What is wrong with your eyes?" Kenshin asked, wondering exactly what this man was. 

The vendor laughed. "I have one red contact in! My eyes are actually green, but you can change the color of your eye by putting colored contacts in them," he explained, gesturing to a display case. Kenshin looked and saw a lot of small, colored circular objects displayed against a white background. 

"You put these things in your eyes and they change the color?" Kenshin asked, a little intrigued. 

"Yup. And today, we have a special. For every pair of contacts you buy, you'll get a carrying case and two bottles of cleaning solution free!" 

"Is it permanent?" Kenshin saw a pair he wanted to buy, so he wanted to make sure that it didn't have any ill effect. 

"No, but you do need to take them out every night and store them in the cleaning solution." 

"Alright, then I'd like to purchase a pair," Kenshin told the man. 

/./What? Kenshin, I thought your eye color didn't bother you,/./ Battousai said. 

/They're not for me. They're for you./ 

/./What?!/./ 

"Which pair would you like?" 

Kenshin pointed to a pair of purple contacts, slightly darker than the color of his eyes. "These ones," he said. The man pulled them out of the case and placed them into a carrying case. Since Kenshin obviously didn't know anything about contacts, the vendor showed him how to store them and clean them and explained how to put them into his eyes. Kenshin paid for them and placed the merchandise in one of the pockets in his coat. 

/./What do you mean they're for me? I don't want them!/./ 

/I doubt you want to stay in my mind all the time, so whenever you come out, you have to put these on. The only way to tell us apart, aside from how we act, is our eyes. That way, if Yami or Ryou accidentally see you, they'll think you're me,/ Kenshin explained. Battousai couldn't argue with that logic. 

Kenshin resumed walking towards the store Yugi had entered when he realized that he didn't know which one it was. He stopped, and looked at all the stores around him. Trying to figure out which one to go to he decided that he would just check them all. The stores seemed relatively small, and he decided that he could check them all rather quickly. The first one he went into had some rather odd items. They were made out of frilly, rather see-through material and they were very small. Some were shiny and they came in all different sizes. 

/I wonder what these are for,/ Kenshin said, picking one up and examining it. 

/./I have no idea,/./ Battousai admitted, equally stumped as Kenshin. 

Kenshin turned and saw exactly what it was for. Towards the back of the store, there were three girls modeling the merchandise. A skimpy piece of material similar to the one Kenshin held in his hand was the only thing covering the top half of one of the girls. She smiled at him, winking, and motioned for him to come over. 

Kenshin quickly adverted his eyes, dropped the item he held in his hand and quickly made his way out of the store. He found a bench and decided to wait for Yugi there. Not ten seconds later, Yugi walked up. 

"Sorry, Kenshin, I didn't realize I had lost you," Yugi apologized. He paused, looking at Kenshin. His eyes were large and focused on the floor, while his face matched the color of his hair. "What's wrong with you?" Yugi asked, a little concerned. 

"I decided to search the stores until I found you, but I entered the wrong store," Kenshin said, pointing vaguely in the direction of the store. He didn't dare look back. 

Yugi looked where he pointed. He read the names of the stores, trying to figure out which one Kenshin had entered. "JC Penny's, Hallmark, Spencer's, Suncoast, Victoria Secret--" Yugi stopped as he noticed a sign outside of Victoria Secret. It said that they had models in there showing off the latest in lingerie. A smile spread over Yugi's face. He knew that's where Kenshin had gone. He was going to tease him about it, but the poor boy looked so embarrassed already Yugi just couldn't bring himself to do it. Deciding that the mall was no longer the best place to help Kenshin relax, Yugi decided it was time for a change of pace.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, they were standing outside of the Amusement Park. Kenshin was staring at all the tall roller coaster rides before Yugi grabbed his arm and pulled him through the gate. Yugi dragged Kenshin over to an older roller coaster ride that was made of wood and got in line. Kenshin could hear the people screaming as the roller coaster raced along the tracks, taking sharp turns and loops that flipped the occupants upside down momentarily. The roller coaster came to a stop, and the people got off, some talking excitedly about the ride while others swore never to step foot in a roller coaster again. 

The line was pretty short, and soon Yugi and Kenshin were first in line. Yugi paid for both of them and went and took a seat, motioning for Kenshin to follow him. Kenshin did, albeit a little hesitantly. They sat down and waited for the ride to begin. Kenshin, remembering the screams, had changed his mind and was about to inform Yugi when suddenly a bar came done across their laps, preventing them from moving. Kenshin turned to Yugi sharply. 

"What's going on?!" he demanded a little more harshly than he'd intended, indicating the bar. Yugi looked at him and smiled reassuringly. 

"That's to make sure you don't fall out. The ride's about to begin," Yugi explained. 

Sure enough, the car began moving forward sluggishly, but picked up momentum pretty quickly. It wasn't that bad until they went around the first corner at high speeds. It was then that Kenshin's sharp hearing picked out the sound of the wood creaking in protest under the pressure and felt the wood give a little. He kept his eyes forward at all times, not daring to look to the side for fear of seeing the wood break. Nevertheless, that did not stop the groanings of the wood from reaching his ears, nor did it stop his minds eye from playing out what would happen in his mind. He knew what flying through the air really fast and crashing would do to you. 

Yugi was enjoying himself immensely. He had chosen this ride because he thought Kenshin would enjoy it too. After all, he was used to moving really fast, wasn't he? 

Yugi looked at his companion, but Kenshin's face was carefully expressionless. However, Yugi did notice his eyes were wider than normal and he had a death grip on the bar across their laps. He was gripping it so tightly that not only were his knuckles white, but Yugi half expected there to be imprints of Kenshin's hands on the bar. 

"Kenshin, are you okay?" Yugi asked. Kenshin didn't respond, just kept staring forward, as if ignoring it would make it go away. ,p>Suddenly, they sped up faster than they had been going before and went into the last two loops of the ride. The first one was small, making the car gain even more momentum for the last loop. Due to the increase in speed, the wood gave even more than it had for the rest of the ride, eliciting a small gasp for Kenshin. He cringed as he waited for the sound of the wood splintering, allowing them to fly through the air to their doom. Surprisingly enough, and much to his relief, the wood held and they began to slow down. The ride was finally over. 

Kenshin just sat there. His fingers hurt from clutching the bar too tightly, but he just reveled in the fact that he was still alive to feel that pain. After a few seconds, he pried his fingers off the bar and followed Yugi, shaking slightly from the ordeal. 

/./It wasn't that bad,/./ Battousai said, trying to comfort Kenshin but it ended up coming out more as a taunt. 

/Don't even start. You were cowering in the back of my mind the entire time./ Battousai was silent, opting instead to let Kenshin calm down first. 

"Gomen, Kenshin," Yugi apologized as they walked aimlessly around the park. "I thought you'd enjoy that ride because when I watched you practice, you were unbelievably fast. I just thought that you'd be used to moving at high speeds," he explained. 

"While I am used to moving at high speeds," Kenshin said a little breathlessly, "it's a little different when you're in control." 

"Gomen," Yugi apologized again. 

"Don't worry about it." 

They went on a few other rides like the Ferris wheel and the graviton, where you stand against a wall plane that moves up with you on it because of centrifugal force. By now it was around one, so they went into one of the restaurants within the park to eat. Kenshin discovered he shared Yugi's love of hamburgers, although he didn't much care for soda. He didn't like the 'carbonation', as Yugi called it. After lunch it was getting pretty hot outside, so Yugi pulled Kenshin over to the water slides. Since they hadn't brought the appropriate attire, they had to buy some from the small shop, put there for that very purpose. Yugi purchased out two swimming trunks, and then he and Kenshin went to put them on. Yugi finished changing, and waited for Kenshin. 

"Come on, Kenshin, what's taking so long? Just put them on, and let's go!" Yugi urged, impatiently. 

"Have you people no sense of decency?! I'm not going out there dressed like this!" came Kenshin's muffled response. 

Yugi sighed. "Why? What's wrong?" He was standing outside of Kenshin's door with a pair of forest green swimming trunks on. 

"Well for one thing," Kenshin said, opening the door, "I'm nearly naked." Kenshin's attire was the same as Yugi's expect his were dark blue. His pale skin stood out in stark contrast to the dark material. 

"Kenshin, everyone dresses like that," Yugi said. His eyes trailed down to Kenshin's chest, where several old scars could be seen. 

Kenshin noticed. "And that's the other reason I refuse to be seen in public like this," he said, disappearing back into the dressing room and closing the door. Yugi realized he'd been staring at Kenshin's scars a little too late and hastened to apologized to the closed door. 

"I'm sorry, Kenshin! I didn't mean to stare. I know! Wait here, I'll be right back!" Yugi said, before he rushed back into the shop. He came out with a T-shirt the same color as Kenshin's trunks and knocked on Kenshin's door. "Here, Kenshin, put this on." 

Kenshin opened the door and, after slight hesitation, took the proffered shirt. He re-emerged dressed in the dark shirt and shorts, looking a little more relieved. Although it was still revealed more of his legs than he felt comfortable with, it was better than wearing the shorts only. 

After the first water slide, Kenshin decided he did not like them. At the top, he got into a tube and slid down. That was fine until halfway down when the top half of the tube disappeared. As a result, Kenshin almost went over the edge on a few of the turns and was, needless to say, very relieved when he reached the bottom in one piece. It was then that he decided to just sit back and watch Yugi go on all the different rides. By the time Yugi had reached the bottom, Kenshin was already dressed in his usual clothes. 

Yugi looked up at him and smiled. "That bad, huh?" 

"Yugi, I'm sorry, but I've found that I really don't care for any of these rides. But I don't want to stop you," Kenshin explained. 

Yugi shrugged. "It's getting too hot to be out here, anyway. I'm just gonna go down one last time and then we can leave, okay?" 

"Alright, Yugi, I'll be right over there," Kenshin said, pointing to some tables in the shade. 

"Alright, I won't be too long!" Yugi called, as he raced up the stairs to the top of the slide. There was a little bit of a line, so he had to wait. Looking down, he searched around until he found Kenshin. True to his word, the red head was sitting at one of the table under a palm tree. As Yugi watched, one of the park's security officer's came over and started talking to Kenshin. The line moved up, drawing Yugi's attention away from the ground. He moved up with it, and looked back down again. Kenshin was shaking his head, arguing with the security officer. After a few more seconds Kenshin nodded, and the security officer handed him something from inside his coat. Apparently it was a pen, because Kenshin took a napkin off the table and started writing something on it. Yugi was almost at the front of the line now and there were quite a few people behind him. He watched as Kenshin stood up, placed the note on the table, and started walking toward the main path with the security officer. Yugi turned to go back down the stairs, but he would be too late. He decided to go down the slide and then find Kenshin. It was finally his turn, and he slid down as fast as he could. It seemed to take forever to reach the bottom, but when he finally did he hurried out of the pool. He ran to the last place he had seen Kenshin, but the red head was already gone. Yugi looked a bit more, before finally going back to the table where Kenshin had been sitting. He picked up the note on the table and read it. 

Yugi, I'm sorry but something has come up. I would have waited for you, but he was adamant that I come now. You may have seen me leaving with a security officer. Don't worry, I'm not in any sort of trouble. I just have some unfinished business to attend to. I'll be home later. 

-Kenshin 

Yugi sighed. "Grandpa's not gonna like this." 


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of importance in this story. 

**Chapter 28**

Kenshin followed the security guard out of the park and to a waiting limo. The man opened the door for Kenshin, and motioned for him to get in. Kenshin did so, only hesitating slightly. After he was in, the man closed the door, went up and spoke briefly with the driver before walking back towards the park. The driver started the limo, and began driving to their destination. 

After a few minutes, the limo pulled up in front of a large mansion. The driver got out and walked over to Kenshin's door, opening it for him. Kenshin got out and was escorted into the mansion. Once inside, he was led up a staircase and down a hallway with several doors leading off of it. His guide stopped in front of one door, and knocked. 

"Mr. Kaiba? Your guest has arrived," he said, after he knocked. 

"Show him in." 

The guide opened the door and stepped back, allowing Kenshin to enter. Kenshin walked into the room. There were a few bookshelves along the wall, filled with all sorts of different books. At the far side of the room there were two massive windows that gave a magnificent view of the city beyond them. In front of that, sitting at a large mahogany desk, was Seto Kaiba. He had a sling on his arm, but that obviously wasn't stopping him from working. Kenshin walked up to the front of the desk. 

"Hello, Kenshin. I'm so glad you could make it," Kaiba said, looking up from the papers on his desk. 

"I didn't have much of a choice," Kenshin replied, a bit dryly. 

"Yes, my employees can be a bit--pushy," Kaiba said. "I hope you enjoyed my amusement park? I built that right after I took over the company from my father." 

//Kaiba _owns_ that?!// Battousai asked, surprised. 

Kenshin was also a little surprised, but then he remembered what Yugi had told him. /Well, he does own Kaiba Corp./ Kenshin turned his attention back to Kaiba. "In all honesty no, I did not enjoy your amusement park," Kenshin stated. 

Kaiba was a bit surprised at Kenshin's statement. "Why not?" he asked, curiously. He was always looking for ways to improve his creations. 

"Well, for one thing some of your rides are liable to break at any time. One particular wood roller coaster needs to be rebuilt soon. And on the water slides, it's a little too easy to slip over the edge of the slide on some of the sharper turns," Kenshin said, remembering his experiences all too clearly. 

Kaiba thought about it for a minute. Kenshin didn't seem like the type to shy away from a little danger, so Kaiba valued his opinion about the rides. After all, it had been almost a year since the last inspection was done... "I'll have someone look into it. Thank you for bringing this to my attention," Kaiba said. 

Kenshin was surprised at Kaiba's response. He hadn't expected Kaiba to do anything about it. Before he was given a chance to respond, Kaiba continued. 

"Well, Kenshin, I'm sure you're wondering why I invited you here today," Kaiba said, smiling broadly. He was obviously very pleased about something. 

"The question had crossed my mind," Kenshin replied, a little sarcastically. 

"Well, I would like to have a rematch." 

Kaiba was just full of surprises today. "I don't think you're in any condition to fight me," Kenshin said, looking pointedly at the sling on Kaiba's arm. Kaiba laughed, and stood up. 

"I'd didn't mean physically. I still have two more weeks before my collarbone heals completely, and even longer after that before the muscles regain their strength. No, Kenshin, the reason I've invited you here was because I've just completed my newest invention. I'd like you to come and see it," he said, walking around the desk and leading Kenshin back out into the hallway. 

They walked down to the end of the corridor to two closed doors. Kaiba pushed a button on the wall and the doors opened. They walked inside the small compartment, the doors closing behind them. Kaiba pressed another button on an inside panel. Kenshin was about to ask Kaiba what they were doing in the small room with no other exit, when there was a slight lurch and Kenshin felt them start to move downward. He managed to hide his surprise from Kaiba, and they continued downward for about a minute or so. They came to a stop and the doors opened, much to Kenshin's relief. They stepped out into a different hallway, and Kaiba led Kenshin to his laboratory. 

It was a small room, with two people currently working on some computers along one wall. On the other side of the room, there were two tables set up next to a rather large machine. There were all sorts of wires and whatnot hanging from the sides of the machine, right next to the tables. The tables looked to be about the right size for someone to lie on top of them. Kenshin was starting to get a little nervous. 

"Welcome to one of my laboratories, Kenshin," Kaiba said, sweeping his arm around the room. He pointed to the large machine. "This is my latest creation. Virtual reality." 

Kenshin had no clue what Kaiba was talking about. /Virtual reality? What's that?/ 

//I don't know, Kenshin, and I'm not sure I want to find out.// 

Kaiba led Kenshin over to the tables, sitting on the one on the right. "Get up on the table, Kenshin. Go ahead and lay down, this may take awhile," Kaiba said, laying down himself. 

Kenshin did as he was instructed, gingerly laying himself down on the table. He watched as one of the two scientists in the room came over and started pushing buttons on the machine, while the first stayed at the computers. Occasionally, they would make comments to each other that Kenshin did not understand. After a few minutes, Kenshin became bored and began conversing with Battousai. 

/What do you suppose this 'virtual reality' is?/ Kenshin asked. 

//I have no idea. Maybe it's something similar to those rides he built at the amusement park,// Battousai suggested. 

Kenshin shuddered mentally. /I hope not. Those-/ Kenshin suddenly felt a sharp prick in his neck. So preoccupied was he talking to Battousai, that he didn't notice the scientist had come over to him until he felt the needle enter his neck. He tried to bring up his hand, but the drug they had given him was fast acting and his hand only got as far as his chest before falling back limply. His vision started to blur, and his eyelids felt heavy. The last thing Kenshin heard before he succumbed to the darkness was Battousai desperately calling his name. 

~*~ 

When Kenshin awoke, he was lying on the ground. He stood up, and surveyed himself and his surroundings. First, he noticed that he was back in his old Ishin Shishi uniform, complete with arm guards, but missing the swords. Looking up, he noticed that he was in a dojo of some sort with swords of every shape and size lining two of the walls. He ran his eyes over them, surprised at all the different types. His eyes fell upon the familiar shape of two katanas and a wakizashi. Not having anything better to do, he walked over and picked one up, intent on inspecting the blade. As he reached toward it, he realized that he could see through it. Not only that, but he could see through the wall, as well, to the darkness beyond. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that his clothes were also transparent, although they still covered his body, keeping him decently dressed. Not sure what to make of that strange phenomenon, he ignored it for the time being and picked up the sword, trying to ignore the strangeness of being able to see it through his hand. He pulled it out of its sheath. 

"Oro?!" The blade was reversed. The sharp side pointed towards the user while the dull side pointed toward the opponent, "Sakabato," Kenshin murmured to himself, before replacing it in its sheath and on the wall. He picked up the second katana and pulled it out of its sheath. This was a true katana, and expertly made by the looks of it. Kenshin swung it a few times, testing it out. The blade sliced through the air, feeling as though it had been made to fit Kenshin's hand. Suddenly, a voice cut through the air. 

"So you've chosen your weapon already, have you?" 

Kenshin whirled around to see Kaiba standing across the dojo. Kenshin had not heard him come in. Kenshin also noticed that Kaiba was also transparent, and the sling was absent from his arm. Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "Where have you taken me, Kaiba? Why have you brought me here?" he demanded. 

Kaiba laughed. "Well, Kenshin, to be truthful, you are still in my laboratory, as am I. As for why we're here, I told you. I want a rematch. Although, I have no idea why you would prefer to dress like that," Kaiba said, referring to Kenshin's uniform. Kenshin ignored the remark about his clothes, and considered Kaiba's story. 

Noticing he didn't look convinced, Kaiba elaborated. "Obviously, you don't know what virtual reality is. Simply put, this world does not exist outside of my computer. Due to some glitches in the system that I have not yet been able to perfect, only the unconscious mind can enter here. Hence, the sedative you were given. Sorry I didn't warn you about that--it wears off in a few minutes," Kaiba explained. 

Since he seemed to be in the mood to explain things, Kenshin decided to clarify some of his questions. "So, basically, our minds are inside of your computer while our bodies are--for all intents and purposes--sleeping on the tables in your laboratory." Kaiba nodded, and Kenshin continued. "Why is everything transparent here?" 

"Well, that goes into how this system works. Basically, your head is hooked up to several wires, which my employees did after administering the sedative, which monitors everything that goes on inside your brain. Since your mind knows that you are not really here, you do not appear as solid. It is the same for everything. It is not really here, so it appears as being transparent. But it is solid enough if you touch it. That's another glitch that I haven't had time to work out. Don't worry, you'll get used to seeing through things as opposed to looking right at them," Kaiba explained. 

Kenshin wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation. Kaiba walked over to the wall opposite of Kenshin, and picked up a katana that was a twin to the Kenshin held in his hand. "I always have preferred the katana. Now, we shall have a rematch--only this time it will be with real swords, virtually speaking, and it will be to the death; again, virtually speaking," Kaiba continued. 

Kenshin didn't like the sound of that. "I will not fight you to the death, Kaiba," he said, sheathing the katana he'd been holding since Kaiba had arrived. 

Kaiba shook his head. "You still don't understand, do you? Any wounds we receive here will not be transferred to our bodies. Similarly, any death that occurs here will not cause us to die in reality. If one of us dies here, his mind will go back to his body. So, this is really a much safer way to do it. I'd much prefer a real fight, but my recent injuries, thanks to you, makes that impossible for several weeks yet. I cannot wait that long, so I came up with an alternate method in the meantime. This world is governed by your subconscious mind. For example, if you tried to fly, my computer would register how your mind reacted to that and respond accordingly. Your mind knows that you will fall, and the computer will make that happen. It's all rather simple, really," Kaiba said, grinning. He was obviously very pleased with his latest creation. 

Suddenly, Kenshin felt--empty. _This is how I felt when I took off the Mask!_ Kenshin thought in sudden realization. He searched, but he could not sense his yami. _Maybe it's just because my mind is in this **virtual reality** of Kaiba's,_ Kenshin thought to himself. He didn't have much time to dwell on it as Kaiba turned around and fell into a ready stance, failing to notice through his excitement that Kenshin's form had become solid. 

"Begin." 

~*~ 

Battousai fumed as he felt those people attaching small, round strips of metal to Kenshin's head. He longed to take his hikari away from this place, but the shot they had given Kenshin had numbed his whole body. Battousai was concerned about what it had done to Kenshin as he had not been able to talk with Kenshin since. He hadn't worried about it too much, until they had finished placing the wires on his head. They then typed something on the computer, and Kenshin's body twitched once. Battousai had tried to sense his hikari to see if any damage had been done, but he could not find Kenshin's ki. It had disappeared. Battousai had then tried to enter his soul room, but the door was locked. So, he could do nothing but wait, and think of horrible ways to make those people pay for what they had done to Kenshin. After a few minutes spent in said contemplation, Battousai felt feeling starting to return slowly to Kenshin's body. Once he was sure the drug had worn off enough to allow him to move around, he took control of the body. 

Battousai opened his eyes, feeling very weak. The two scientists were working on the computers across the room with their backs to him. Battousai sat up, and was assaulted by a wave of dizziness. After waiting for it to pass, he started removing all the wires on his head. He did so noiselessly--he wasn't even sure if he could stand, let alone fight off those two if they decided to repeat the procedure. Fortunately, they did not notice. After he was done, he failed to notice the feeling of emptiness as he swung his legs over the side of the table, and slowly stood up, holding on to the table for support. After waiting to make sure that he wouldn't fall, he took a few tentative steps forward, and then a few more. As he walked behind them, he happened to glance at one of the screens, over one scientist's shoulder. He saw Kaiba, holding a katana and in a battle stance. Confused, Battousai looked back at the other table. Kaiba was lying on it, wires attached to his head as they had been to Kenshin's. Battousai didn't know what to make of it, but he continued walking to the door. 

He managed to get outside of the room without anyone noticing. Now, if he could remember how to get out of the house. He walked back the way they had come, eventually reaching the elevator. He pressed the button on the wall, as Kaiba had done, and the doors opened. He stepped inside, the doors closing behind him, and waited. Nothing happened. He was starting to get frustrated, when he remembered that Kaiba had pushed another button once they were inside. He walked over to the panel. There were several buttons, labeled: B4, B3, B2, B1, 1, 2, 3. B2 was highlighted. Battousai hit two and waited. He felt a slight jerk as the elevator began moving in an upward direction. After about a minute or so, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Battousai stepped out, and started walking down the corridor. As he was walking, he realized that he was in a different hallway than the one Kaiba had led them down. _Oh, well,_ he thought to himself, _I suppose one way is as good as another._

As he walked, Battousai started to feel stronger as the drug wore off. Rounding one corner, he almost ran into Mokuba. He had to bite back on a sharp remark about watching where he was walking. He was, after all, suppose to be Kenshin. He remembered just in time to lower his head, allowing his bangs to fall forward and hide his amber eyes. 

"Gomen, Mokuba, but I seem to be lost. Could you perchance show me the way out of here?" Battousai asked, trying his best to sound like Kenshin. 

Mokuba was a little surprised. "Kenshin, what are you doi--Oh, I remember! Seto said he was gonna invite you over to try out his new virtual reality system! Did you like it?" Mokuba asked, as energetically as usual. 

Battousai forced himself to remain calm. He did not want to chitchat. "It was... an experience," Battousai stated, truthfully. "But I really do need to be getting home. Grandpa will be worried," Battousai said, adding on that last part as an after-thought. 

Mokuba nodded. "Right. I'm sorry, Kenshin, this way," he said, leading the red head down the hall and to a set of stairs. He pointed down the staircase to a down that could be seen at the bottom. "That's the front door," Mokuba said, pointing. 

Battousai nodded. "Arigatou, Mokuba," he said as he began to walk down the stairs. 

Mokuba watched him leave. _That was weird_ he thought to himself, as he turned and continued to where he was going before Battousai had interrupted him. _Kenshin didn't look at me once. I wonder why?_

Battousai arrived at the bottom of the stairs, walked over to the door, and exited the Kaiba mansion. 

~*~ 


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of importance in this story. 

Conspirator wrote a really cool story entitled "An Unexpected Lesson." It's kind of explaining how Kenshin learned to conceal all his emotions behind his rurouni mask. Who better to teach him that than a kabuki troupe? It's a great story! Go to my favorite authors and click on Conspirator. 

**Chapter 29**

Kenshin and Kaiba stood facing each other, Kenshin armed only with a katana while Kaiba had a katana in his hand, the sheath having been cast to the side, and a wakizashi in his belt. Kenshin had placed his katanas sheath in his belt, and he and Kaiba stood opposite each other in the middle of the dojo. Neither moved, each waiting for the other to make the first move. This gave Kenshin a little time to think. 

_Should I end this fight quickly? Yugi will be upset about being left behind without an explanation, and Grandpa will be furious if he finds out. I should defeat Kaiba quickly and be on my way. But, I have wanted a rematch with Kaiba and I'm not one to waste opportunities..._ Kenshin thought, debating with himself. He shook his head. _How ironic. I usually have internal debates with Battousai. Now I argue with myself when I can't argue with him. I wonder what happened to him...?_

That was as far as Kenshin got along that train of thought, as Kaiba grew tired of waiting. Deciding Kenshin was not going to make the first move, Kaiba did. He ran towards Kenshin, bringing up his katana to attack. Kenshin, noticing the change in his ki, rushed forward and met him halfway, their blades clashing together before they both jumped back. Kaiba came forward again, attacking with a one-handed thrust. Kenshin stepped slightly to the left, avoiding the blade. Kaiba changed his attack to a side slash, hoping to catch Kenshin off-guard. Kenshin just jumped a little further to the left, again avoiding the katana. Kaiba changed his stance, and brought his sword in a straight slash down towards Kenshin's head. Kenshin turned his sword so that the hilt was facing up and allowed Kaiba's sword to hit the bottom of it, effectively breaking his stance. Kenshin knew Kaiba would be momentarily off balance, and allowed his thoughts to drift back to his decision of whether or not to linger here. Thus distracted, he did not see Kaiba's wakizashi until it was too late. Kaiba did another one-handed thrust as Kenshin tried to twist out of the way, the blade of the short sword tearing through the top of his left shoulder. 

Kaiba smirked triumphantly as Kenshin jumped away, landing on his knees while clutching his left shoulder. "Not quite as cocky now, are you?" Kaiba taunted. 

_I can't believe I forgot about the wakizashi in his belt! Kenshin no baka! Battousai would never let me hear the end of this if he knew! All right, no more distractions! This is a serious fight, and it will last as long as it lasts! Itai! I suppose Kaiba programmed his computer to simulate pain, as well,_ Kenshin noted grimly, clenching his teeth against the searing pain in his shoulder. He slowly released his arm and stood up, falling into a defensive stance. Kaiba raised his sword up and they rushed at each other once again. 

~*~ 

Battousai was running very fast. He had been paying attention to where Kaiba's driver had turned to get to the mansion, and so he knew how to get back to the game shop. He hadn't been at Kaiba's that long, and if he hurried he could still beat Yugi home. This was imperative because if Yugi got home first, he'd tell Grandpa about Kenshin leaving him at the amusement park. And, since Battousai was supposed to be Kenshin for the time being, he would have to not only apologize profusely to the old man, but explain where he was as well. So, Battousai was running as fast as Kenshin's body could carry him to beat Yugi to the game shop. Kaiba's mansion was actually in the middle between the game shop and the amusement park, but Battousai had lost a lot of time and Yugi might have taken the bus. 

As Battousai neared the shop, he felt Yugi's aura moving towards it. _Good, I'm not too late,_ he thought triumphantly, as he closed the gap between himself and Yugi. 

~*~ 

Yugi walked to the game shop, slowly. After he had lost Kenshin in the park, he had almost dreaded going home. Grandpa would not be happy to hear that Yugi had let Kenshin go off alone to who-knows-where. He hoped Kenshin would already have arrived home before him, but knew the chances were slim. Almost hesitantly, he opened the door to the game shop and stepped inside. 

"Hello, Yugi," came Grandpa's jovial voice. "Where's Kenshin?" 

_I didn't think he'd be here,_ Yugi thought to himself. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted as someone else walked through the door. 

"You were right, Yugi, that wasn't Joey standing on the corner-- oh, hi Grandpa," Battousai said, coming through the door seconds after Yugi. He immediately headed in the back towards Kenshin's room. 

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Grandpa inquired as Battousai practically ran by him. 

"I need to use the restroom," Battousai said, not stopping. Yugi stared after the red head's retreating form before following him. He was going to get some answers from Kenshin. 

Battousai, sensing Yugi following him, entered the bathroom and locked the door. He looked in the mirror, amber eyes glaring back at him. 

//Kenshin? Kenshin, please, if you can hear me, please answer,// Battousai called, trying to reach his hikari. There was still no answer. 

_Great, now what am I gonna do? I don't know what happened to Kenshin, but I'm stuck living his life in the meantime! Kenshin no baka! What happened to you?!_ Battousai wondered as he slumped dejectedly against the counter. He felt something in his pocket being jammed into his hip as he leaned against the counter. Straightening up, he fished around in his pockets until he found the offending items. He recognized it as the case for the colored contacts that Kenshin had bought for him. _Well, this is one less thing I have to worry about, I guess,_ he thought, as he opened the case. 

He had been paying attention when the vendor had explained how they were used and got them in without too much difficulty. It only took him three tries, almost losing a contact down the drain twice, and accidentally poking himself in the eye once. After he was finished, he looked in the mirror to survey his work. Now he looked exactly like Kenshin. _Time to put these to the test,_ he thought, sighing as he opened the door. He had felt Yugi waiting outside the door ever since he entered the bathroom. _Now, let's see. What would Kenshin do? Ah, yes..._

Battousai blinked upon seeing the smaller boy standing right outside the door. "Yugi, if you needed to use the restroom, you should have gone to the one downstairs, or at least knocked to let me know you were waiting," Battousai said, as he made his way towards Kenshin's room. 

Yugi, not expecting that response from Kenshin, took a moment to get over his mild surprise. Kenshin was just about to enter his room. "Kenshin, wait! I need to talk to you!" 

Battousai sighed mentally. _I was almost there, too. Oh well, I suppose the contacts are working at least..._ "Yes, Yugi?" Battousai said, turning around with a pleasant smile on his face. 

"Where did you go?" Yugi asked. 

"Kaiba invited me over to his house," Battousai answered truthfully. It was always best to stick as close to the truth as possible, as it was harder to be caught lying that way. 

Yugi looked understandably surprised. "Why?" 

_What business is it of yours?_ "He wanted to show me a new invention of his," Battousai said, smile plastered in place as he took deep breaths to calm himself. He really had a short temper, and Yugi could be very annoying with his incessant questions. 

"But why did--" Yugi began before Battousai cut him off. 

"Look, Yugi. Dealing with Kaiba any time is very stressful, and those infernal contraptions you referred to as 'fun rides' weren't exactly relaxing. I'm tired. Must you interrogate me right now?" Battousai said, trying to keep his voice level. _How does Kenshin put up with him?!_ Battousai complained to no one. 

"Gomen, Kenshin," Yugi apologized. Battousai just turned and entered Kenshin's room, closing the door behind him. Yugi in turn, entered his room and lay down on the bed. 

\\What is wrong, aibou?\\ Yami inquired. 

\Well, it's just that Kenshin didn't seem like himself. He doesn't usually get that upset over something like this. He might be hiding something, but even then he didn't get that mad at me,\ Yugi explained. 

\\Well, he does have a valid point. Kaiba isn't the easiest person to deal with at any given time, especially after you have just experienced a roller coaster ride for the first time. Kenshin was still recovering from that experience when he had to deal with Kaiba and then your interrogation. He's bound to be a little upset,\\ Yami said, in Kenshin's defense. 

Yugi wasn't quite convinced. \But, the way he acted-- it almost seemed like it wasn't Kenshin we were talking to, but Battousai.\ 

\\That isn't possible, Yugi. Kenshin has to have the Mask in order for Battousai to take over his body,\\ Yami said, logically. \\Besides, Battousai is a part of Kenshin. Maybe Battousai being gone after years of constant companionship is starting to affect Kenshin. I think that he misses Battousai, regardless of what he may say to the contrary. So, Kenshin may unconsciously be starting to become like Battousai, in some aspects,\\ Yami explained. Yugi pondered that theory. 

\Well, regardless, we need to find the Mask and give it back to Kenshin. He seems to need it more than he may realize. Besides, I don't want him to change. Now the only question is, how do we find it?\ Yugi wondered. 

They were both silent, lost in there own thoughts, until Yami realized something. He laughed. 

\What's so funny, Yami?\ Yugi asked, confused. This was a serious situation. 

\\Aibou, it's so simple! I can't believe that we missed it! The solution to finding Mask has been here the whole time!\\ Yami said, amused at his oversight. Yugi was still confused, so he continued. 

\\Alright, Yugi, let's start with what we know. How many items do we know the current location of?\\ Yami asked. 

\Four; the Millennium Puzzle, the Millennium Ring, the Millennium Ankh and the Millennium Scales,\ Yugi replied, not sure where this was leading. 

\\Correct. And what are the powers of the Ring?\\ Yami continued. 

\It can remove peoples souls from their bodies,\ Yugi said, shuddering in remembrance of a specific time that had happened to him. 

\\Well, that is actually an ability shared by more than just the Ring. If you remember, I was able to replace yours and your friends' souls into their respective bodies. Also, Pegasus was able remove and replace people's souls as well. What else?\\ Yami prompted. 

Yugi thought a bit more before the realization hit him. \And, it can hone in on the location of other Millennium Items!\ he said, excitedly. 

\\Exactly,\\ Yami confirmed. \\Now, all we have to do is talk to Ryou. I'm sure he'll be happy to help us.\\ 

~*~ 

Battousai entered Kenshin's room, making sure to close the door behind him, and flopped down on the bed. He was tired, and he didn't really want to deal with being Kenshin right now. 

_Maybe I'll just retreat into the Mask for a while. I can wait for Kenshin to come back in there, and I won't have to worry about ruining his life. Yes, that sounds like a good idea. They'll probably just think he's in a coma or something..._ Battousai thought as he closed his eyes and retreated back into the Mask. 

He had gone back into the Mask countless times before, but this time something was different. It didn't feel right; something had changed from every time he had done so previously. He wasn't sure what was different until he opened his eyes. 

_What the?!_ He exclaimed as he looked around Kenshin's soul room. _I must have done something wrong,_ he thought, trying to go to the Mask. Nothing happened. He tried again. Still nothing. _What's going on here?! Why can't I leave Kenshin's body?!_ Battousai yelled in frustration. Suddenly, the realization hit him. Two souls can share one body as long as one resides in a Millennium Item. However, while the Item can be empty of souls, the body cannot. Kenshin's soul disappeared, and so his body automatically replaced it with Battousai. That meant if Kenshin were to come back, he would now be the spirit residing in the Millennium Mask. Before, he could forcefully resume control of his body from Battousai because his body recognized him as the resident soul. However, now Battousai had taken that position. The body no longer belonged to Kenshin-- it now belonged to Battousai. 

_Oh, Kenshin's not gonna like this._

~*~ 


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of importance in this story. 

**Chapter 30**

Kenshin and Kaiba faced off, both once again waiting for the other to move first. Kaiba still had an annoyingly superior smirk on his face, while Kenshin's was devoid of any emotion whatsoever. Kaiba was starting to find that just the tiniest bit unnerving. So, he continued to smirk, hiding this weakness. 

Kenshin, who seemed almost to be a mannequin for his lack of emotion, was in pain. His shoulder cried out in protest at being forced to hold his stance. Kenshin longed to release his sword and cradle the injured arm to his body, but he ignored this impulse, showing nothing of what he was feeling on his face. He had underestimated Kaiba once in this match already. The pain in his shoulder reminded him not to do so again. He would let Kaiba see no weakness from him. 

Kenshin watched as Kaiba fell into the stance for battoujutsu, and mirrored his movements. _So, he wishes to end this quickly, does he? Even so, I do not wish to kill him..._ Kenshin's thoughts trailed off as Kaiba sprang forward. Rushing to meet him using his full speed, Kenshin did not notice the sword in his hand change slightly. Kaiba was too slow, and was in the act of pulling his sword from his sheath when Kenshin's attack hit. At the last instant, Kenshin changed the course of his attack, aiming to incapacitate rather than kill Kaiba, bringing his blade to meet Kaiba's right arm instead of his side. Expecting his sword to slice through Kaiba's arm and continue going, Kenshin was surprised when he felt its momentum stopped. He looked up and saw that his sword, while having crushed Kaiba's elbow, had not even broken the skin. Astonished at this, he pulled back slightly, to assess the situation. He looked at Kaiba's arm, and then at his sword. _This should have-- wait! _Sakabato_?! Why am I holding a sakabato?! What happened to my katana?!_ Kenshin thought, confused. 

Thus engaged in staring at his sword, he did not realize that Kaiba had recovered from the blow and was attacking again. Kenshin felt his ki spike and managed to dodge the clumsy attack from Kaiba's katana (who now had to hold it in his left hand), but was hit by Kaiba's kick on his injured shoulder. Kenshin gasped in pain, but managed to hit Kaiba's injured arm before jumping away, reflexively clutching his injured shoulder. Much to his amazement, Kaiba just brushed off Kenshin's hit and advanced again. 

_How does he not feel the pain?! That blow would be crippling to the strongest member of the Shinsengumi!_ Kenshin thought to himself. He sensed foul play. "Are you that insecure that you would go to such low lengths to win, Kaiba?!" Kenshin demanded, furious. 

Kaiba actually stopped, and blinked. "What are you talking about?" Kaiba said, a little confused. 

Kenshin didn't buy his act. "How much lower can you stoop?! I feel the pain from my wounds, but you are obviously immune to yours!" Kenshin yelled, heatedly. Kenshin had a very strict code of honor, and the thing he hated most were dishonorable fighters. That was why he hated most ninjas and respected the Shinsengumi. Ninjas were willing to go to any lengths to win, even if they had to use innocent people to do it. The Shinsengumi, on the other hand, had a very strict code of honor, possibly stricter then even Kenshin's, and had won his respect as consequence. Kenshin had thought Kaiba like them, but quickly revised his opinion. 

Kaiba for his part was confused, but quickly became annoyed. "Kenshin, it is impossible to feel pain in here. Any pain you would experience would come from your body, and I can assure you that my assistants are making sure that nothing happens to our bodies in the real world," Kaiba explained. He thought Kenshin was trying to get him to lower his guard. Well, he wasn't buying it. 

Kenshin slowly stood, wincing only slightly. "Well then, Kaiba, why don't you go and make sure of that?" Kenshin asked, his voice soft and deadly. His face was once again emotionless, but something about him caused Kaiba to suppress a shudder. Kaiba was actually afraid. 

Kenshin fell into a battoujutsu stance once again, this time with every intention to kill Kaiba. Dishonorable fighters deserved no less than death, even if it wasn't permanent in this illusory world. Kaiba mirrored his stance, and this time Kenshin noticed the weight in his sword shift very slightly. Ignoring it, he rushed toward Kaiba, faster than the human eye could follow. Kaiba didn't even have time to put his sword up. Kenshin felt his sword hit home as his momentum carried him past the startled Kaiba. Kenshin stayed where he had ended up after he finished the attack, until he heard Kaiba's body hit the floor. The turned to survey his work, but found that it had disappeared. 

_He must have gone back to his body,_ Kenshin thought. He didn't really care one way or the other. Kenshin reached into his sleeve out of habit, looking for some bandages that he had always carried with him during the Bakumatsu. It wasn't until after he had pulled them out that he realized they shouldn't have been there. As if remembering something, Kenshin lifted his sword and inspected it. It was no longer a sakabato, but a katana he held in his hand. Kenshin found that there was no blood on it, all of Kaiba's blood having disappeared with him. Kenshin shrugged, immediately regretting the action as his shoulder informed him that it was a bad idea. He decided that he should tend to his wound first and foremost. 

_Oh, shoulder wounds are so hard to bandage,_ Kenshin complained to himself. _I wish Soseki were here to do it for me. Too bad I left him back in the Bakumatsu, ne?_ Kenshin thought, referring to one of the young doctors who had helped the Ishin Shishi. 

Just then, Kenshin heard something on the other side of the dojo wall. _What is that?_ he wondered, as he walked to the door of the dojo. The door opened and Kenshin stepped outside. He had not gotten more than a few feet when he stopped in his tracks. _No. It can't be. That's impossible..._ ~*~ 

Kaiba awoke lying on the hard table. "So that's it. I lost..." he mumbled, a bit forlornly. The next thing he knew, his assistants were hovering over him, making sure that he didn't have any ill effects from the virtual reality. Once they were satisfied, they started removing all the wires attached to him. Kaiba just sat there, oblivious as he replayed the fight in his mind. 

_I can't believe his speed! I didn't even see that last attack coming! He was just toying with me at the tournament and in my virtual world!_ Kaiba's thought, feeling the beginnings of anger. It was gone just as quickly as it had come, replaced with reluctant acceptance. _ Let's face it. I can never match him in speed, and it's not a real fight unless we both use all of our abilities to their full extent. Come to think of it, with Kenshin's abilities, he wouldn't need to catch me off-guard. So, perhaps he wasn't lying about the pain. It could be a glitch in the system..._ Kaiba decided to ask Kenshin about it, and waved off his assistants. They stood and waited for his orders. 

"Bring Kenshin out of the virtual reality system," Kaiba said, sitting up. His assistants looked over and noticed, for the first time, that Kenshin wasn't there. One ran over and checked a screen that displayed the inside of the dojo where Kenshin and Kaiba had fought. It was empty, but the aid failed to notice the open door. "Sir, he's gone," he informed Kaiba. 

"What?!" Kaiba looked over to the table Kenshin had been lying on. Sure enough, it was empty, and the wires looked like they had been pulled off in haste. _It looks like I'll have to wait to talk to him until Monday,_ Kaiba thought as he swung his legs over the side of the table. He got up and left the room, leaving instructions to check the system for glitches that would have caused Kenshin to feel the pain. Brooding over his most recent defeat, he went back into his office and sat behind the desk, thinking. 

A little while later, Mokuba walked in. "Hey Seto! How did you virtual reality test go?" Mokuba asked. Kaiba grunted. 

"It could have been better," he replied. 

Mokuba looked a little confused. "So, who won?" he asked. 

Kaiba sighed. "Kenshin did, Mokuba," he replied. 

Mokuba looked a little surprised. "Really? You never would have guessed it from the way he was acting," Mokuba said. That caught Kaiba's attention. 

"What do you mean? When did you see Kenshin?" Kaiba inquired. 

"I saw him awhile ago. He got lost and I showed him the way out. I asked him about the virtual world, but he didn't seem to pleased about it. It's weird, though. He didn't look at me once the entire time," Mokuba said, thinking back on the events earlier in the day. He shook his head. "Well, Seto, you tested it out. Can I try it now?" Mokuba asked. He had been wanting to try out Kaiba's virtual reality system ever since Kaiba had started plans for creating it. Kaiba had told him that he could, after the test run was performed. 

"Not tonight. Maybe tomorrow," Kaiba replied. 

"Okay. Anyway, I came to tell you dinner is ready," Mokuba said, turning to go. 

"Thank you, Mokuba. I'll be down shortly," Kaiba said. Mokuba disappeared through the door. Kaiba sat there for a little while longer, before he joined his younger brother. ~*~ 

The next day, Kenshin seemed to be in a bad mood, so Yugi wisely decided to stay out of his way. Instead, the young boy opted to pay Ryou a visit. Reaching Ryou's house, Yugi knocked on the door. He heard the sound of someone coming to answer it. 

"Yes?" Ryou asked as he opened the door. "Yugi? What are you doing here?" Ryou asked, a little surprised. 

"Ryou, we have a favor to ask of you," Yami said, taking control of Yugi. 

Ryou looked mildly startled. He had always been a little uncomfortable around the pharaoh because of Bakura. "How may I help you?" Ryou asked, shuffling his feet a little bit. 

Yami didn't notice his discomfort. "Tell me, do you know how to control the Millennium Ring?" Yami inquired, looking at Ryou seriously. 

Ryou was a bit taken back by the question. "No, not really. Bakura had no reason to teach me," he admitted. 

Yami nodded as if Ryou had confirmed his thoughts. "Would you mind lending us the Ring?" Yami asked. 

Ryou's curiosity got the better of him. He cocked his head to the side. "Why?" 

"Well, we had hoped to use it to find the Millennium Mask, so we could return it to Kenshin. Not having the Mask is having an adverse effect on Kenshin. He needs it more than he realizes and he won't admit it, but he misses Battousai. If you knew how to control the Ring, then I would have asked for your assistance, but since you don't I was hoping you would be willing to let us borrow it to find the Mask," Yami explained. "You may come with us, if you would like," he added, as an afterthought. 

Ryou looked amazed. "I had forgotten about the Ring! Do you think you can control it?!" he asked, excitedly, forgetting his discomfort at the prospect of being able to help Kenshin. 

Yami smiled at his excitement. "Well, we won't know for sure until I try, but I believe so," he responded. "May I borrow it?" 

"Yes, let me go get it," Ryou said, gesturing for Yami to come in. Yami entered and sat on the couch while Ryou went up to his room. Moments later, he returned with the Ring in his hand. 

"Here it is," he said, handing the item to Yami. Yami felt power course strongly through the Ring as he took the proffered item from Ryou. The Puzzle surged in response, before both powers went back down. _That was almost as if the Items recognized each other. If that is the case, then I should be able to control the Ring,_ Yami thought to himself. Neither Yugi nor Ryou had noticed anything, so Yami decided to put his theory to the test. He held the Ring by the gold band at the top, away from the spikes. He stretched out his arm to its full extent, away from his body. 

"Ring, guide me to the Millennium Puzzle," he commanded in an authoritative voice. Immediately all the spikes all flew up, pointing toward the Puzzle hanging around his neck. Satisfied, he gave it another command. 

"Ring, guide me to the Millennium Mask!" 

Obediently, the spikes turned, pointing towards Ryou's front door, and out of the house. Yami looked a little surprised at this. "Apparently, Bakura did not hide the Mask here. It seems we will have to go searching for it," Yami commented. He turned to look at Ryou. "Would you like to come along?" he inquired. 

Ryou nodded. "If it's not too much trouble," he said. 

Yami shook his head. "None at all," he replied. They exited the house, and began the search. ~*~ 

Battousai had been civil to Grandpa and Yugi, but his patience was wearing thin. He had remembered to remove his contacts and place them in the cleaning solution and had replaced them in his eyes in the morning. His disguise was complete. It was just his attitude that might give him away. 

Battousai was vexed. Not only could he not retreat back into the Mask, he now knew something was seriously wrong with Kenshin. Kaiba had done something that removed his soul, and Battousai was now stuck in the body alone. Also, he was worried about what had become of his hikari. He had not been able to contact Kenshin, and that alone worried him. However, he was not one to show his worry, so he covered it up with anger. He believed that Yami and/or Yugi suspected something was wrong, but he didn't much care at this point. He had considered asking Yami for help, but that went against his principles. One, he never asked anyone for help because there was no obstacle large enough that he could not handle (previous events of a few days ago notwithstanding. That never would have happened had Kenshin not left him at home). Second, Kenshin hadn't told Yami he had the Mask. In fact, he had gone out of his way to make sure Yami didn't know it was back in his possession. And third, Battousai didn't fully trust Yami. Kenshin trusted Yami more than Battousai, but obviously not enough to tell about the Mask. If Kenshin had not trusted him enough to reveal the Mask's location, then Battousai sure wasn't about to give up any information concerning it. 

This led back to the current problem: how to get Kenshin back. Battousai didn't want to go back into Kaiba's mansion (enemy territory). He wouldn't even know what to look for if he did. It wasn't like he was rescuing a captured solider from an enemy base camp-- he was trying to find Kenshin's _soul_. Battousai wasn't even sure what had happened. Kaiba had not used any shadow magic, so the possibility of a Millennium Item being used was ruled out. _But, aside from death, what other way is there to separate a soul from its body?_ Battousai wondered. _Unless it was the death of the soul. Kaiba had better not have hurt Kenshin in any way..._ Battousai's thought trailed off into a feral growl at the thought of anyone harming his hikari. He sighed, closing his eyes. His thoughts were just going in circles, and it was giving him a headache. What he needed was to get out and clear his head. He needed to be able to relax, to focus on the problem at hand with a clear mind. He needed-- to practice. Deciding on that course of action, Battousai walked downstairs, and told Grandpa that he was going for a walk. Quickly exiting the building, he headed for the dojo. ~*~ 

Yami and Ryou were walking at a normal pace, following the direction the Ring pointed them in. As they walked, the Ring started to pull Yami's hand harder, signaling they were getting closer. Much to their surprise, the Mask seemed to be moving. 

"We'd better hurry. Someone may have found it!" Yami said as he started to run. Ryou followed suit. They had run for a few minutes when the Ring almost jerked itself out of Yami's hand. They had found the Mask. Yami looked up...and saw Kenshin enter the gates to the dojo where he went to practice. He looked down at the Ring. The spikes pointed toward the dojo wall, slowly moving to the side as if following someone walking inside. 

Yami and Ryou walked over and let themselves in the gate. They followed Kenshin to the main dojo, making sure not to be seen, and waited a few moments before opening the door and peaking inside. Kenshin had started his warm-up exercises, oblivious to their presence. Yami watched as one violent strike caused a heavy object attached to a cord around Kenshin's neck to fly out from under his shirt. It glinted in the light of the dojo, and the Ring gave a violent jerk. Kenshin didn't seem to notice, and continued with his practice while Yami and Ryou quietly made their way out of the dojo compound. Once outside, Yami handed the Millennium Ring back to Ryou. 

"Well, on the bright side, we don't have to worry about returning the Mask to Kenshin," Ryou said, a bit unsure of himself. 

Yami nodded. "Yes, the only problem now is the fact that Kenshin lied to us. He got it back and then lied about it," Yami said, a little upset. 

"Well, it makes sense if you think about it. Bakura has given Kenshin nothing but trouble when he knew about the Mask being in Kenshin's possession. I'm sorry, but he probably thought the same might happen if you knew. He's just trying to protect himself," Ryou said, coming to Kenshin's defense. 

Yami shook his head. "Yugi just said the same thing. It would appear that I have been out-voted. All right, I won't hold this against him. But I am going to confront him about it," Yami said, turning and starting to walk home. 

Ryou stared after him, wondering if Yami's injured pride as an ex-pharaoh would help the situation or make the ex-hitokiri even more untrusting of them than before. ~*~ 


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of importance in this story. 

I got another story for you "Rurouni Kenshin" fans! This one's called "Against a Sea of Troubles" by haku baikou. I'm not real good at summaries, so I'll just copy the one haku baikou wrote for the story. "A red-haired, amber-eyed stranger washes up on shore in a small, seaside village." It's really good! You should check it out! 

**Chapter 31**

Kenshin was confused. He was pretty sure that he was still in Kaiba's virtual world, but he didn't know why this was happening. After the fight, he had gone outside to investigate a noise he'd heard. Once he'd exited the dojo, he'd been astonished at the sight that greeted his eyes. Before him was one of the Kyoto Ishin Shishi safe houses. He also noticed that it was bright, as if he was standing outside. Looking back, he saw the dojo had disappeared, replaced with stores and houses that lined the street. People were coming and going, as if nothing were out of the ordinary. One of his fellow patriots saw him and hurried over. 

"Himura-san! What happened to your shoulder?! Did you run into some Shinsengumi? Let's take you to the Soseki--he's staying in the safe house right now," he said quietly, leading Kenshin inside the building. They went up the stairs, and Kenshin was left in one of the rooms, his comrade promising to send Soseki as soon as the young healer was found. 

Kenshin was still trying to figure out what was going on. One minute he's fighting Kaiba, and the next he's back in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu! "Very strange, indeed..." Kenshin said softly to himself. 

"Yes, it is strange for you to be wounded in a fight," Soseki said, opening the shoji and stepping inside. "I think I've only had to bandage you up once or twice in three years!" he said, kneeling to the left of Kenshin and beginning to examine the wound. 

"Of course, I'm not complaining about it. It's just, you're such a skilled swordsman, I'm glad we have you on our side. This wound looks pretty fresh," Soseki paused, giving Kenshin a chance to elaborate on the surrounding circumstances. When he didn't respond, Soseki continued. 

"It's a clean cut, not too deep. Managed to miss all the tendons and muscles, somehow. Good thing, too," Soseki commented as he began cleaning the wound. Kenshin's face remained emotionless, showing nothing of the pain the doctor was inflicting. Soseki finished cleaning and began putting the bandages on it. Sometimes he wondered if Kenshin could even feel the pain. The kid was so emotionless. He decided to test his theory. 

"There you go. Should be good as new in a week or two," he said, patting the bandage with a little more force than was necessary. That elicited a faint hiss of pain from Kenshin. _Well, at least he's human,_ Soseki thought. 

Kenshin thanked the doctor and left the safe house. He wandered around, just walking, looking at everything. It was just as he remembered it. Well, except the fact that everything was transparent, but he had gotten used to everything looking that way. 

As he wandered aimlessly, his thoughts turned to his master. _I remember the first time he sent me here,_ Kenshin thought, looking at a shop specializing in sake. He was considerably surprised when a young red-haired child exited the store and started running up the street. Kenshin just stared. _That boy looked like...me..._ Kenshin thought as he followed the boy. Kenshin caught up to him easily. 

He stayed a few feet behind the boy, seeing where he was going. As he expected, the child followed the roads that lead deep into the mountains, and up to Hiko's residence. For some reason, the child looked a little nervous, as he hurried home with his burden. Kenshin, having come to the conclusion that this boy was indeed him, tried to remember any such times he would have acted in such a manner. It was then that Kenshin noticed there was no sword at the boys side. 

_I remember now. This was the time I forgot my sword. Hiko had been upset because I had forgotten to get his sake, and I had left in such a hurry that I forgot my sword in the house. It wouldn't have been a problem, except that there had been bandits running around,_ Kenshin thought, remembering. They had since left the city streets and entered the forest. 

_It should be anytime now,_ Kenshin thought, looking around. As if on cue, two men stepped out on the path in front of the child. The little boy stopped and looked up at them, his eyes a little larger than they should have been. 

"Well, what have we got here?" one of them teased, walking up to the child. The red haired boy instinctively took a step back, only to run into another bandit that he hadn't heard come up behind him. Startled, the boy tried to run away, but one of the bandit's caught his pony tail, and jerk him back. The boy cried out, dropping the bottle of sake as the bandit threw him to the ground. He curled up into a ball, as if afraid to move while the bandits all laughed at him. 

"So, what are we gonna do with this little runt?" one burly bandit asked the other two. 

The one that seemed to be the leader spoke up. "Let's tie 'em up and take 'em wit' us. We can sell 'em off nex' time we run into traders," he replied. One of them bent over the child, intent on following his leaders orders. The boy, however, had just been waiting for an opportunity. As soon as the bandits head was in range, the boy kicked as hard as he could, his foot connecting with the bandit's nose. The bandit cried out in pain and surprise, falling backwards. The other two were also momentarily surprised and the child took advantage of that, racing through the forest before they could react. 

Thinking he was safe, the boy allowed himself a small smile, before two large arms encircled him from behind, picking him up in mid-run. The bandits were surprisingly fast for their size, and had caught up to him easily. He struggled in the bandits grasp, and the bandit threw him against a tree--hard. The boy fell to the ground, momentarily stunned. He rose slowly to his feet, still a little dazed, only to be back-handed by the bandit he had kicked earlier. The boy's small body hit the ground again, sliding a few feet. This time he did not rise. He was preparing himself for the next blow when a new voice cut threw the air. 

"It is a weakling and a coward who would fight a mere child. And I also see three of you. Was one boy too much to handle?" came a taunting voice from the shadows. The boy smiled in relief while the bandits looked around, nervously. 

"Strong words for one who hides and plans an ambush. Show yourself and fight like a man!" the one of the bandits yelled back. Suddenly, Hiko appeared from the shadows. 

"If I saw a man here, I would be happy to fight him," Hiko retorted. "But all I see are cowards beating up an _obviously defenseless_ boy." The boy flinched at those words. 

The bandits, seeing their prey out in the open, attacked simultaneously. Even so, it took Hiko longer to clean their blood from his sword than it did for him to dispatch them. He looked at the child still lying on the ground, and then turned and walked back towards the path. The child hurried after him, stopping to pick up the dropped bottle of sake before falling in step behind his master, head hung very low as they continued back up the mountain. Hiko did not say one word to the child. The disappointment in his eyes when he had looked at him had been enough. They continued up the mountain in silence. 

Kenshin had watched as his memory had played itself out. He was a little surprised that all the emotions he had experienced at the time were still fresh in his mind, as if he had actually lived through that again. "I'm sorry I was such a disappointing student, Master," Kenshin whispered to no one, a bit forlornly as he started walking in the opposite direction, back to Kyoto. 

~*~ 

On the way back to Kyoto, Kenshin thought about the bandits Hiko had killed. It reminded him of the graveyard he had dug for the other bandits who had attacked the slave caravan. Lost in his thoughts, Kenshin was a little surprised when his path suddenly became brighter. Looking up he discovered he had not exited the forest, as he first suspected, but that he had stumbled upon a clearing that allowed more light onto the path. Looking out over the clearing, he saw that it was littered with wooden crosses made from two sticks being tied together by inexperienced hands. In the middle, there were three rocks that had some plant life growing at their base. Almost reflexively, Kenshin looked past the rocks toward one lone cross that had a blue ribbon tied around it. 

"Tomoe..." he whispered into the wind. 

Hearing something similar to a shoji sliding open behind him, Kenshin whirled around. He was understandably stunned to find himself standing in front of his house in Otsu. Looking towards the door, he saw a woman dressed in a white kimono with a red obi and ebony hair closing the shoji she had just stepped through. She turned to him, her pale skin a stark contrast to her dark eyes. She bowed. 

"Tomoe..." Kenshin whispered again, not daring to believe his eyes. The woman bowing to him spoke, her voice soft and respectful. 

"Gomen to keep you waiting, anata. I'm ready to go now," she said, straightening up although she kept her eyes lowered to the ground in front of her. 

Kenshin could restrain himself no longer. He ran to her, taking her in his arms and clutching to her tightly, as if she would disappear if he were to let go. "Tomoe, I've missed you..." he whispered, brokenly. The tears fell freely down his cheeks, being absorbed by her kimono. 

Tomoe, for her part, was stunned. Never had Kenshin shown his feelings so openly before, and she wasn't sure how to react. What did he mean, he missed her? She had only taken a few minutes to get ready... 

A little hesitantly, she placed her arms around her husband, trying to soothe him. She didn't know what had upset him so and normally she wouldn't care, but she had grown to love this man before her and his pain hurt her as well. 

"Ssh, anata, I'm right here," she said, a bit uncertainly. She wasn't sure how to calm down the normally emotionless hitokiri. Apparently, that worked because she felt him relax his hold on her and eventually pull back altogether. She was somewhat shocked to see a smile on his face--not the small smile he would sometimes give her that could barely be counted as a smile at all, but a really genuine smile! _It suits him,_ she thought, ignoring the fact that him smiling at her like that made her feel warm and giddy inside. She hoped he would smile at her like that more often, but her upbringing as a lady would allow her to show none of this on her face. She looked at him with the same blank mask she always used. 

"We're going to be late, if we don't get going," she said, returning her eyes to the ground, hoping he wouldn't rebuke her for being so bold as to remind him of that. He just kept smiling as if he had never been happier in his life. 

"Hai," he responded, reaching down to pick up his medicine basket. He usually set it down on the ground next to him while he waited for Tomoe to finish getting ready. So overjoyed was he at seeing his wife alive and well during the best part of their lives together, he failed to notice that the basket he picked up had not been there previously. In fact he had already forgotten about Kaiba's virtual world, Yugi, Grandpa, and his trip to the future in general. All he could think about was the woman a few feet behind him as they walked down the mountain path to Otsu. 

~*~ 

Mokuba was excited. Seto had promised that today Mokuba'd get to try out Seto's new virtual reality system. He didn't really know why he was so excited about it. Seto hadn't had time to program anything else into it except for the dojo where he and Kenshin fought, but Mokuba was excited anyway. He didn't really know why he wanted to go and sit around in a virtual dojo when he could go to an actual dojo in the real world, but it was the principle of the matter. Originally , he had wanted to try it out so he could tell Seto how cool it was later and maybe make his brother smile. Or, he could help Kaiba make it better by pointing out things that might need to be fixed. Somewhere along the way, this had turned into a sort of adventure for him, which is why at this precise moment he was begging his brother to let him try it out. 

"Please, Seto? Can I try it out your virtual reality system now?" Mokuba pleaded, looking at Kaiba with big puppy-dog eyes. Kaiba looked down at his little brother kindly. 

"Not yet, Mokuba. They're still checking the system. You can try it when they're done," he said, wishing they would hurry up. He deny his brother anything, but to be in the system while a system check was being performed might be dangerous. It shouldn't have any effect on the user, but one could never tell with a proto-type--which is exactly why Mokuba had to wait until they were finished. 

Fortunately for them, one of Kaiba's employees knocked on the door before entering Kaiba's office. 

"Mr. Kaiba, the system check has been completed on the virtual reality system, sir," he said, bowing slightly. 

"Thank you for informing me," Kaiba said, smiling at Mokuba. "Tell my assistants to prepare the system for my little brother's use." 

"Sir," he said, bowing again before leaving. Mokuba jumped up and hugged Kaiba. "Oh, thank you, Seto! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he cried, enthusiastically. Kaiba just smiled. 

"It shouldn't take them long to get it ready. Why don't you head on down there?" Kaiba suggested. 

Mokuba didn't need to be told twice. He raced out of the room, and to the nearest elevator. Kaiba just smiled again, while he went back to work. 

~*~ 


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: See chapters 1-18. It's there in every single one. 

**Chapter 32**

Yami walked home, considering his options. Ryou did have a point--Kenshin had just been trying to protect himself by keeping the location of the Mask secret. It explained why he was so against them looking for it, and relieved when they said they would stop. Yami wasn't sure how to approach this subject with Kenshin. Then again, it all depended on who was in control at the time--Kenshin or Battousai. Upon arriving at the game shop, Yami made his way up to Yugi's room to consider the matter further until Kenshin got home. 

~*~ 

After he practiced, Battousai felt considerably better. It had allowed him to release all of the stress that had built up over worrying about Kenshin. It did by no means solve the current problem, but it did allow him to focus on it from a more perspective point of view. 

Upon arriving home, he immediately headed for the bathroom. He first removed the contacts from his eyes and placed them in the cleaning solution, setting the case on the counter. Then, he undressed and stepped into the shower. He let the hot warm cascade over his body as he pondered his options. _I suppose I'll have to wait and talk to Kaiba tomorrow during school,_ he thought. 

Once he had finished with his shower, he dried off and wrapped the towel around himself. He collected his clothes, and went into his room to get dressed. 

Yami had heard Kenshin get in the shower and was waiting for him to get out before talking to him. Upon hearing Kenshin close the door, Yami figured he was finished and knocked on Kenshin's door. 

"Hai?" came the muffled reply. 

"Kenshin, I need to talk to you," Yami said, as he started to open the door. 

"Yami?! Can you at least wait until I put my clothes on?!" Battousai cried as he hastened to wrap the towel around himself, amber eyes glaring at the intruder. 

Yami, for his part, looked a little surprised. He quickly closed the door, failing to notice the color of Kenshin's eyes. "Gomen, Kenshin! I thought you had changed in the bathroom! I'm sorry!" he apologized through the now closed door. He looked towards the bathroom and noticed Kenshin had left the light on. He walked over to turn it off when something on the counter caught his eye. He walked over a picked it up, examining it. 

\\Aibou, what is this?\\ he asked, turning the object over in his hand. 

\Oh, that's just a contact carrying case,\ Yugi replied, dismissing it. 

\\Contacts? What are those?\\ Yami inquired. 

\It's something you can wear in place of glasses to help you see better,/ Yugi explained. 

\\Dose Grandpa wear contacts?\\ 

\No, he prefers his glasses.\ 

\\Then what are these doing here?\\ 

Yugi paused. _What are these doing here?_ he asked himself, silently. Yami, upon not getting a response from Yugi, decided to open them and see if anything was inside. \\Are these the contacts, aibou?\\ Yami asked. 

\Oh, they're colored contacts,\ Yugi commented. 

\\Colored contacts?\\ 

\Yeah, you put them in your eyes and they will change the color. These ones, for example, will make your eyes purple,\ Yugi explained. 

\\The same color as Kenshin's eyes,\\ Yami noted. He was beginning to suspect who had left them there. 

\Well, yeah, but why would Kenshin need to--Oh! Battousai! Do you think he has been using these so we can't tell when he takes over Kenshin's body?!\ Yugi asked, a little apprehensively. 

\\Didn't you say Kenshin was acting more like Battousai? I think that Battousai may have been the one in control at the time,\\ Yami confirmed. He screwed the lids back on the container and slipped it into his pocket. _Kenshin should be finished getting dressed by now,_ he thought as he walked over Kenshin's door again. He knocked, this time waiting for a response before letting himself in. 

"Kenshin? Are you finished?" Yami inquired. 

"Yes, Yami. You can come in now," Kenshin replied, still sounding annoyed. Yami walked in and was greeted with an amber glare. He returned the gaze, coolly. 

"I would like to speak with Kenshin," Yami repeated. 

"So speak," Battousai said, not realizing that he didn't have the contacts in. 

"I would rather speak to him face to face. I know you have the Mask, and even if I hadn't known that before, your eyes give you away," Yami remarked, watching Battousai's reaction. 

"What are you-" Battousai cut himself off, realizing he had left the contacts in the bathroom. "Excuse me," he said, brushing past Yami and heading towards the bathroom. 

"They're not there," Yami replied, taking a seat by the desk. 

Battousai stopped and looked at Yami. "What do you mean?" he inquired. 

"I assume you're looking for these?" Yami said nonchalantly, holding up the contacts case in his hand. "You left these sitting on the counter. Why don't you just let Kenshin come out? I only wish to speak with him," Yami said. 

Battousai narrowed his eyes. "If you wish to speak, then speak. Kenshin can not come out right now," Battousai said, guardedly. Yami had apparently found out about the Mask somehow, and Battousai had stupidly left his contacts in the bathroom. He wasn't going to give away any more information unintentionally. 

"Can't, or you won't let him?" Yami said, his eyes meeting Battousai's. "You've been in control of his body all day today, haven't you?" 

"What does it matter who's in control? When did you find out about the Mask?" Battousai asked. He didn't expect an answer, but it might help to take the conversation in a different direction. 

Yami shrugged. It wouldn't matter if Battousai knew or not. "During your practice, actually. Yugi and I had decided that it would be best for Kenshin if he had the Mask back. We thought that not having it was making him become more like you. Now realize that it was you, but I digress. We went over to Ryou's and used the powers of the Millennium Ring to find the Mask. It led us to you. You were just starting your practice, and happened to knocked the Mask out from under your shirt," Yami explained. He hoped that by answering Battousai's question, Battousai would feel obliged to answer Yami's. "Now, why will you not release your hold on Kenshin's body?" Yami demanded, a little more forcefully. 

He was right, Battousai did feel obligated to answer Yami's question--at least, partially. After all, Yami had given him the information he had asked for, so Battousai had to give up some information in return. "I can't," Battousai replied, no emotion showing on his face. 

Yami hadn't expected that. "What? What do you mean, you can't?" 

"I can't release my hold on this body any more than Yugi can release his hold on the body you're in. He can retreat to his soul room, like he has right now, but he cannot leave the body," Battousai said, evenly. 

Yami clearly did not believe him. "Explain yourself," Yami demanded. Battousai decided to comply, if only to see Yami's reaction. 

"True or false: A spirit residing within a Millennium Item cannot stay in control of the host's body if the Item is taken from the host," Battousai asked. 

"True," Yami replied, a little uncertainly. _What is Battousai getting at?_ Yami wondered. 

Slowly, Battousai removed the Mask from under his shirt. He then removed the cord from around his neck, holding the Mask in his hand. Suddenly, he tossed it to Yami. 

Surprised, Yami barely managed to catch it, accidentally dropping the contact case to the floor. He looked back up, expecting to be met by Kenshin's warm lavender eyes. He was startled to still be staring into Battousai's hard amber eyes. "But, how-" Yami said, having trouble articulating his thoughts. 

Battousai walked over and took the Mask from Yami's hand, replacing it around his neck. "That is none of your concern. All you need to know is that Kenshin can't talk to you right now, so if you have anything to say, you need to say it to me," Battousai said, waiting for a response. He didn't get one, so he walked out of his room, leaving a very confused Yami in his wake. 

\But what happened to Kenshin?! Did Battousai banish him to the Shadow Realm?!\ Yugi asked, almost frantically. 

\\He couldn't have. He doesn't have any shadow powers,\\ Yami answered. 

\Then what happened? Was Kenshin inside the Mask? Did he and Battousai somehow switch places?\ 

\\I don't think so. I didn't sense anyone inside the Mask when Battousai tossed it to me,\\ Yami replied, staring at the floor. 

\Then, where's Kenshin?!\ Yugi asked, a little apprehensively. 

\\I don't know, Yugi. I truly don't know.\\ 

~*~ 

Battousai walked out of his room and down the stairs before he realized he didn't have anywhere else to go. He turned to walk back up to the privacy of his room, but realized that Yami was still sitting there, letting the information he had just given him sink in. 

_Blast!_ Battousai thought angrily to himself, _I don't feel like being interrogated anymore, but I don't have anywhere else to go,_ he thought, irritated. Just then, he heard the bell on the door of the game shop, signaling the entrance of a customer. _Kenshin would probably go and see if Grandpa needs any help. I don't want Grandpa to figure out I'm not Kenshin, so I guess I'd better go help. It's not like I've got anything better to do anyway,_ he thought grudgingly as he walked toward the shop. 

He could hear Grandpa talking to someone as he neared the door. 

"Yes, he was released from the hospital last Thursday," Grandpa said. 

"Last Thursday?! Kinzo, why weren't we notified?!" Battousai's hearing picked out the shrill voice of one female asking a question among a myriad of similar questions. 

"I don't know, the hospital said he wouldn't be released until today!" Battousai wasn't sure if this 'Kinzo' was the one who answered, but all the replies were along those lines. A new voice asked out another question. 

"Well, is he here right now? Can we speak to him?" Battousai had figured out by the little bit of conversations he'd overheard that they were talking about him. Normally, he'd hide somewhere out of sight and observe until he figured out what was going on, but Kenshin would walk right in. Unfortunately, it was Kenshin's actions that he was performing so, against his better judgment, he walked into the room preparing to be confronted by several people. 

He was, however, a little surprised to see the shop full of people, about half of which were holding microphones while the other half had cameras. (Author's Note: It was too difficult to describe what video cameras and microphones look like from Battousai's point of view, so skipped it.) All of which turned toward him as soon as he stepped inside the shop. 

"Mr. Himura!" Battousai swore he could feel the ground tremble as they all stampeded over to him. 

Suddenly, there were many bright flashes of light, forcing Battousai to blink rapidly. _Are they trying to make me go blind?!_ he thought, furiously. He longed to raise his hands and cover his eyes, but that would be a sign of weakness. These people would get no such satisfaction from him. He set his face into an emotionless Mask, eyes almost closed against the bright lights. 

As if that wasn't bad enough, they all seemed to be asking questions at once and expecting him answer. He couldn't even understand what half of them said. Grandpa seemed to notice the problem and came over to stand beside him. He held up his hands to gesture for them to all settle down. Once they had all quieted (after a few minutes when it became apparent that Kenshin wasn't going to speak) Grandpa started picking on various reporters, allowing them to ask Kenshin one question before moving on to someone else. 

"So, Mr. Himura, how does it feel to have fought and beaten the reigning kendo champion for the past two years running, Seto Kaiba?" 

Battousai allowed himself a smile. _Well, if they're going to ask questions about my fight, I suppose it's alright..._ he thought. "It was a very exhilarating fight. Kaiba is a strong opponent," _although, not worthy of MY skills..._ he added silently to himself. 

"Is it true that you shared a room in the hospital with Mr. Kaiba? What was it like sleeping in the same room with your opponent?" 

"What difference does that make?" Battousai countered. Why did these people care? Who were these people? 

It was obvious that Kenshin wasn't going to answer that question, so Grandpa went one to the next person. 

"What will you spend your prize money on?" 

_Prize money? That's right, there was a prize for winning._ Battousai thought about what he would like to buy. After all, 50,000 yen was a lot of money. "Maybe I'll buy a new katana," he said, seriously. The one he currently possessed had a lot of wear and tear on it. Kenshin had taken excellent care of it, but since he had the money he might as well buy a new one. He was considerably annoyed when everyone started laughing as if he had told a hilarious joke. 

"Oh, what a great sense of humor! A katana indeed! That was a good one!" Battousai didn't see what was so funny. He opened his eyes a little more, allowing some of the amber to be seen. Sadly, no one noticed the slight warning. 

"Would you be against having a rematch with Kaiba?" 

"Oh, Kaiba has already extended the invitation," Battousai said, a deadly edge underlying his words. Again, the ignorant reporters failed to hear it. 

"When are you planning the rematch? And where will it be held? Will tickets be sold or will it be free?" 

Battousai's eyes flashed, glowing amber. The reporters all took an involuntary step back in surprise and a little bit of fear. "It will be a private event," Battousai said, his voice soft. _Well, it's not exactly a rematch, but they don't need to know that,_ Battousai thought, very annoyed with these nosy people. Why was he answering their questions, anyway? 

"Is that some new sort of colored contact you're wearing? I've never seen amber eyes before, and yours almost seem to be glowing!" someone asked from the back. At that logical explanation, everyone relaxed again and started snapping more pictures. After all, surely this was some new item out on the market that they had yet to hear of. 

Battousai swore silently. _Yami still has my colored contacts!_ he thought, angry at his oversight. Those stupid people were flashing so many pictures that the lights were starting to hurt Battousai's eyes. He decided to do something about it. Quickly, moving so fast that no one could see him, he ran and smashed the bulbs in about half the cameras before standing next to Grandpa again, and so it didn't look like he had moved. In the confusion that caused, he smashed the bulbs in the other half, ensuring no more bright lights to hurt his eyes. He allowed himself to smirk for a split second before forcing a look of bewilderment on his face. 

_Act like Kenshin_ he coached himself. He turned to Grandpa. "What happened?" he asked, obviously confused. Grandpa just shook his head. "I'm not sure," he replied, baffled. It took an extraordinary amount of self-control on Battousai's part not to laugh. 

The reporters, although mystified, decided to cut the interview short due to faulty equipment. Battousai was not sorry to see them go. Deciding his work was done, he turned and re-entered the living quarters. 

~*~ Yami, upon hearing all the commotion downstairs, came down to investigate. He met Battousai on the stairs. "What is going on down here?" he inquired. 

Battousai just smirked and brushed past him, continuing up to his room. Yami, not quite liking Battousai's response, went down into the game shop to ask Grandpa. He walked in just as a few people left the store. 

"What happened down here? I thought I heard a something from upstairs," Yami asked. 

Grandpa shook his head, as if he were not quite sure himself. "Well, some reporters came by to speak with Kenshin. Things were going fine until suddenly all of their cameras broke. It was the strangest thing. All of the bulbs were suddenly broke, as if someone had hit them. I've never seen anything like it..." Grandpa said, starting to sweep up some of the broken glass on the floor. 

Yami was certain that it was Battousai that had broken the cameras. \\This is Battousai's work. You remember how fast he is,\\ Yami commented. 

\Yeah. At least he didn't take out his anger on the people. I wonder what made him so mad, though?\ Yugi said, silently asking for the spirit's thoughts. Yami sighed mentally. 

\\With him, it could be anything. Kenshin is the only one who really knows Battousai, and we currently don't know where he is. He could have just done it just for fun, for all we know,\\ Yami suggested, thinking back on how Battousai just smirked when he inquired as to what had happened. 

\I hope we find Kenshin soon.\ 

\\So do I, aibou. So do I.\\ 

~*~ 

Later that day, Yami was sitting in his soul room, thinking. Battousai being on the loose with no one to control him was a bad thing. That was proved when the reporters came over earlier. Fortunately no one was hurt, but they may not be so lucky the next time. And the only person who could control Battousai appeared to be Kenshin. So, Yami was currently contemplating the best way to go about finding Kenshin. But in every search there has to be a starting place. This particular starting place had to be Battousai. Before anything else, they had to figure out whether or not Battousai had done anything to Kenshin that caused his disappearance. This was a problem; because Battousai would not share any information regarding his hikari save for the fact that he was not there. Yami could think of only one way to find out for sure if Battousai had done anything or not. 

\\Aibou? Are you busy?\\ Yami called softly. 

\Yami? What do you need?\ Yugi asked. 

\\Well, I've been thinking about the problem with Battousai and Kenshin. First we need to decided whether or not Battousai had anything to do with Kenshin's disappearance,\\ Yami replied. 

\But, how can we find that out? Battousai's not gonna tell us,\ Yugi pointed out. 

\\Yes, well, there is one way...\\ Yami hesitated. 

\Go on,\ Yugi urged. 

\\I could challenge him to a shadow game.\\ 

\What?\ 

\\Well aibou, shadow games are a way of punishing 'evil-doers', if you will. A challenge is issued for a simple game. However, when an item holder turns it into a shadow game, all the attributes of the person's soul effect the outcome of the game,\\ Yami explained. 

Yugi could only think of one thing to say. \Huh?\ 

Obviously still confused, so Yami tried a different approach. \\For example, aibou, when you had first completed the puzzle you had to pay the hall monitor, I forget what his name was, an outrageous amount of money for his unwanted 'services' as a body guard. And he had threatened you with death if you did not give him the money, correct? You were not aware of this at the time and I don't know if you have realized it since, but I took over your body that night and challenged him to a shadow game. The rules were simple. I had acquired double the amount of money he requested and told him he could have it all if he played a shadow game with me. He agreed, of course, and I asked him for his knife. The rules of the game were simple: place the stack of money on the back of your left hand and stab the knife into it. You could keep all the bills that stayed on the knife and you had to take more than one bill each time. Who ever had the most money at the end of the game would be the victor. If he won, I offered my life. If I won, he had to play a penalty game. After the first few rounds, he started running into problems. His greed was forcing him to use all of his strength, trying to stab through the stack of bills _and_ his left hand. To compensate, he turning the knife on me. Expecting something of this sort, I dodged it with ease. Since he had broken the rules, that declared me the victor of the game. As a penalty game, I cast his mind into an illusion of avarice. All he could see was money. You may remember the next morning when he had horded a large pile of leaves and garbage together out in front of the school. He thought that it was all money. He is still in the mental institution, is he not?\\ 

Yugi was a little surprised. \\So, you mean to tell me that all those people who did something to me and then somehow went crazy—you did that? You challenged them to that shadow game and your penalty game caused them to go insane?\ 

\\Essentially, yes, although it is a different shadow game and a different penalty game every time,\\ Yami explained. 

\And you've never lost?\ Yugi asked. 

\\No.\\ 

\So, won't that mean that if you challenged Battousai he would he would lose no matter what?\ 

\\No. Please bare in mind that I only challenge those who have wronged you in some way. I create the games that would best suit each individual I am judging. The same goes for the penalty game. That is the very reason I am consulting you about this matter right now. I don't know whether or not Battousai has done anything to Kenshin. If he has, then he will lose the game. If not, then he will win and our life will be forfeit. He may choose to let us live, but he may also choose to kill us. I do not know if he is guilty or not, and this seems to be the only way to test that. Since this your body, it is your life that hangs in the balance. I will defer to your judgment concerning this matter. What would you have me do?\\ 

Yugi was silent for a moment, thinking. \I…\ 

~*~ 


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: See chapters 1-18. It's there in every single one. 

**Chapter 33**

Mokuba opened his eyes to find himself staring at a wooden ceiling. He picked himself up and looked around. He was in a dojo of some sort with swords lining two of the walls. 

"This must be the dojo Seto told me about," Mokuba said, talking aloud to dispel the eerie silence that seemed to settle on the dojo. He began looking around. "Yep, Seto was right—it is pretty boring here." 

He then noticed the open door. "Huh? I thought Seto said that this was the only thing programmed into the system?" Mokuba pondered briefly before the realization struck him. "Oh! Seto must have added things to the system! That's what he was doing when he said it was just a routine system check! Seto, you're the best!" Mokuba said as he ran outside. 

~*~ 

The days seemed to fly by for Kenshin. It had been a week since he had been reunited with his wife Author's note: Kenshin is unconsciously controlling the flow of time in the virtual reality system. It was the end of fall—winter would be setting in very soon. Kenshin wasn't looking forward to it. He didn't like the winter months, although he couldn't remember why. It seemed there was something important that he was forgetting but every time he tried to think about what it might be, Tomoe would walk up. Her presence had a very calming effect on him, and would lay all his worries to rest. What was there to forget? She was here with him, and life was good. 

Still his hitokiri instincts were warning him that something bad was going to happen very soon. It was like the calm before the storm. Kenshin wondered how much longer the calm would last. 

~*~ 

Mokuba walked out of the dojo and stopped. This was certainly not what he had expected. In front of him was a dirt street lined with old-fashioned houses. The people were the same, all wearing clothes like you'd see in really old movies. Mokuba decided to explore. 

He started walking down the street, looking into the alleyways as he passed. He was surprised to notice that the alleys all ended in darkness, as if there was nothing beyond them. _I guess Seto wants me to follow this one road,_ Mokuba thought logically to himself. He continued walking. 

~*~ 

Kenshin woke up early in the morning. It had snowed last night, so he had gone to bed early in the hopes that it would have melted by morning. Silently, he got out of bed and walked over to the door. Opening it just a crack to keep most of the cold air out, he peeked out side. A large expanse of powdery white snow glittered beautifully in the early sunlight. Kenshin sighed and closed the door again, failing to notice the set of footprints leading away from the house. He turned back and silently made his way back over to the bed, mindful not to make too much noise so as not to disturb Tomoe. It wasn't until he actually reached the bed that he noticed she wasn't in it. 

For some unknown reason, he was deathly afraid. _I'm just being paranoid,_ he told himself, sternly. _I'm sure she's left a note explaining where she went and when she'll be back._

To convince himself of this, he started searching for the note he was sure she had left. What he found instead was her journal. Again, the feeling of dread rose in his chest. _I shouldn't read this—she would never forgive me,_ he thought, placing the book on the shelf. As soon as the book left his fingers, he was drawn to it even more than before. Almost as if he couldn't control his actions, he picked up the journal, and flipped open to a random page. He began to read: 

I have grown attached to this man, even to the point that I'm sure I've fallen in love with him. Sadly, I will never be able to tell him of these feelings I have for him. After all, how can one love a sworn enemy? For I have sworn to take out vengeance on my fiancée's killer—how can Kiyosato rest while his murderer still lives? And yet—and yet how can I kill the man I love? It would be the same as ending my own life, for I would surely die if something were to happen to him. But, if he found out about my true intentions—no. I could not bare the rejection that would be sure to follow. I will go to the cabin where they await to hear from me. I will tell them that he has found out about my intentions, and that I can no longer be apart of their plan. That should work, for if I am not with him, then I cannot be made to slay him. I will leave in the morning, before he awakes. This will be my last entry in my journal. Farewell. 

The journal fell to the floor as Kenshin's fingers loosened their grip on it. His mind was reeling from what he had just read, and yet he had already _knew_ that. However, he was now acting on instinct, and his instincts told him that he needed to find Tomoe and bring her back. Quickly, he changed into his gi and hakama, putting on his armguards and placing his swords through his belt. Moving with unconscious stealth, he left the house and followed the footprints in the snow. 

~*~ 

Mokuba followed the path into the mountains. "I wonder where this will take me?" he thought out loud. Suddenly, he noticed that the bushes on one side of the trail were all pushed aside and trampled, as if several people had pushed through them quickly. He also noticed that the darkness was absent, so he decided that that was where he was supposed to go next. He hadn't gotten very far before he found the bodies of three adult males, all dead. He gasped, starting to feel sick but unable to tear his eyes away from the gruesome sight before him. As what he was seeing sank in, he felt a scream building in his throat. Not seeing any reason to withhold it, he screamed for all he was worth. 

~*~ 

One of the scientists in Kaiba's laboratory walked over and checked Mokuba's vital signs. "Everything looks good, so far," he said to his companion. 

"Well what did you expect, Yoita? The only thing in the system is that dojo, and he can't even feel that pain if he hurts himself with those swords!" the second scientist answered. 

"I know, Kobayashi, but how do you think Mr. Kaiba would react if something were to go wrong?" Yoita asked. 

Kobayashi shrugged. "I suppose your right," he agreed. They were both silent for a moment. 

Suddenly, a piercing scream tore through the silence. Startled, they both looked toward the origin of the sound. Surprisingly enough, it appeared to have come from Mokuba. Yoita ran over to him, thinking he had accidentally stabbed himself with a sword and was screaming at the expected pain. He was a little disconcerted to realize that Mokuba was still in the virtual reality system. He checked Mokuba's vitals once again. 

"Turn on the monitor—something is scaring the bejee-bees outta the kid," Yoita said. Kobayashi complied, bringing up a picture of the dojo on the screen. 

"He's not there!" 

"What?! He has to be there!" Yoita ran over and looked at the screen. Mokuba was nowhere to be seen. "Alright, just bring him out of the system!" 

Kobayashi started typing on his computer. He paused, waiting. Nothing happened, so he started typing again. After a few minutes, he looked at Yoita. "I can't." 

"What? Move over—let me try." Yoita took a seat and starting typing commands into the computer with the same results of his companion. He looked up, meeting Kobayashi's gaze. 

"I think we need to inform Mr. Kaiba about this," Yoita said. 

~*~ 

Kenshin was walking through the snow, following his beloved's footprints in the fresh powder. He had a strange sense of _déjà vu_, but he ignored it and continued on. Suddenly someone, a ninja but the looks of it, confronted him. The ninja jumped forward, crossing blades with Kenshin before quickly jumping out of range. As he landed, he threw a dart at Kenshin. Kenshin saw it coming easily and raised his sword to deflect it, but for some reason he was too slow. It struck his right shoulder, burying itself deep within his flesh. His vision blurred slightly, going in and out of focus as he sank t his knees. He vaguely noticed that the ninja had jumped behind one of the many trees. 

_What's going on?! I should have been able to deflect that!_ he thought to himself, confused. _What's wrong with me?!_ He reached up and, gritting his teeth, pulled the dart from his shoulder and cast it away from him. 

Sensing three more airborne items coming his way he whirled around, successfully stopping them with his sword. _It must have been a fluke. I must not have reacted as fast as I thought I did. Yes, that must be it,_ he thought to himself, logically. 

The ninja rushed at him again, thinking he had the advantage because Kenshin was still kneeling on the ground. Kenshin didn't even need to look as he held out his sword at just the right angle, allowing the ninja to impale himself upon it. The ninja pulled himself off the blade and staggered away from the boy. Kenshin wiped his blade clean in the snow, and continued on his way. 

~*~ 

After finding the corpses, Mokuba had turned and ran as fast as he could back to the safety of the town. He had been a little disconcerted when he found that the path no longer led back to the city, but to a graveyard. The graveyard was covered with wooden cross and a few stones. Not want to dawdle, Mokuba hurried on. He didn't notice when the brown leaves of fall that crunched under his feet turned into the white snow of winter. 

He was so distracted by his thoughts that he was surprised to found himself standing in front of a cottage. He looked around, noticing he was even deeper in the mountains than before. He realized then that he was lost. Feeling a little scared, he turned back to the cottage, hoping to get some information from whoever was inside. It was the he noticed the shoji that been left open, allowing the snow in. Some of the windows had been left partially open, emitting a mournful wail every time the wind blew. 

Mokuba then noticed two sets of footprints leading away from the house. Deciding it would be better to follow those than to enter the seemingly haunted house, he set off in a different direction, walking deeper into the mountains. 

~*~ 

Kaiba was not in a good mood. He was currently in a meeting with several of the idiots on his payroll. He wasn't even paying attention to what they were saying, wishing he were somewhere else. Suddenly, the door burst open and another employee of his came in. Although Kaiba was ecstatic for the interruption, he would never allow such to be seen on his face. He scowled at the intrusion. 

"What is it?!" he demanded, harshly. _I may have to give him a pay raise, later,_ thought silently to himself. His good mood didn't last long. 

"Mr. Kaiba! Something's wrong with the virtual reality system! We can't get Mokuba out!" Yoita said, preparing for the explosion of Kaiba's temper. 

"WHAT?!" Before anyone could react, Kaiba was already out the door and running down the hallway. He skidded to a halt in front of the elevator doors, punching the button. Yoita caught up with him as he waited for the elevator. Kaiba was about to take the stairs when the door finally opened. He practically jumped inside, Yoita close on his heels, and hit the button for B2. As the elevator started to move, Kaiba decided to find out what went wrong. 

"What happened." His question sounded like a command. He kept his eyes forward as it helped him keep all of that troublesome emotion off his face. Yoita answered him promptly. 

"We're not sure, sir. One minute Mokuba was in and all systems were running fine. The next minute he screamed. We just thought that he might have accidentally stabbed himself and was screaming at the pain he expected to feel, but he was still in the system. Something scared him in there and we don't know what. He's not in the dojo. We tried bringing him out of the system, but the computer's overriding our commands. It's like something else is controlling the system," Yoita explained in as condensed a version as he could. Kaiba was silent. 

The elevator doors opened and Kaiba took off running down the hallway again. Kobayashi looked up as he entered. "Sir, we're still looking for Mokuba," he said, gesturing at the scenes being displayed on the screen. 

Kaiba stared at them, a little confused. "What is this?" he asked, more than a little confused. Kobayashi shook his head. 

"Don't know, sir. Didn't know it was there until we started searching for Mokuba." 

Suddenly, the computer beeped. Kobayashi looked back at the screen and started typing. "Sir, we've found him!" he exclaimed as he brought the image to the main screen. There, walking through a snow path in the mountains, was Mokuba. He looked a little scared and lost, but other than that he appeared to be no worse for the wear. Kaiba allowed himself to sigh in relief, mentally of course. 

After ascertaining his brother's well-being, he glared at his employee's. "I can't even leave the simplest jobs to you, can I? Get out of the way," he commanded as he took a seat in front of the monitor and started to type. 

~*~ 

As Kenshin walked, he noticed he was starting to feel weaker. The woods around him were too quiet and scanned the area around him, constantly searching for another ambush. It wasn't until he saw a tree branch fall and barely heard it hit the ground that he realized his hearing was being muffled somehow. Not sure what to make of this, he ignored it, focusing instead on his other senses. That was fine until he noticed that it was getting really dark. _Strange,_ he thought to himself, _It's not past mid-morning. Why is it so dark out now?_

Pretty soon, Kenshin found it all but impossible to walk without using his word as a crutch. _What is wrong with me?!_ he thought almost frantically. He had no more time to ponder the strange happenings with his body as he suddenly felt a dangerous ki spike almost directly in front of him. Kenshin looked up. Standing in front of him was an older man. He had faded brown hair with a mustache to match. He was taller than Kenshin by at least a head, and had a very muscular build. Although he carried no sword, he wore armguards. He stood with an air of superiority, looking down on Kenshin. 

_I recognize him…from somewhere…._ Kenshin thought to himself. _Where do I know him from….?_ Suddenly, the man attacked. Surprisingly enough, Kenshin knew exactly how he was going to attack, when and where, all without even reading his aura. _Soon, Tomoe, this will all be over and we'll be together again,_ he thought as he dodged and countered his assailant's attack with ease—or, at least tried too. The first attack, Kenshin misjudged the distance, making him swing too soon. This gave his attacker an opening, which he gladly took. Kenshin cursed mentally as he felt the pain. _Blast! I can't afford to make anymore mistakes!_

~*~ 

Mokuba walked, following the footprints in the snow. He had been walking for sometime before he finally heard someone up ahead. He was more than a little scared being alone in the woods, so he hurried towards the sound. 

He happened upon a clearing that contained an old shack. It was the shack that drew his attention, however—it was the two people fighting in front of it. Quickly, he hid himself behind a large tree, poking his head out to observe what was going on. One of the people, the red head, had a sword and clearly had the advantage, as the other was unarmed. However, Mokuba soon discovered that a weapon dose not make a difference if one is injured. The red head was getting the beating of his life from his opponent. Even from his hiding place he could clearly see the blood seeping through his clothes. 

Suddenly, the older man hit the red head, causing him to skid backwards on the ground, until he was almost even with Mokuba. The small boy stayed very still, afraid any movement on his part would alert either fighter to his presence. The red head boy slowly pulled himself to his feet, eliciting a gasp of surprise from Mokuba as his face could finally be seen. 

"Kenshin!" Mokuba breathed in disbelief. 

~*~ 

Kaiba stopped typing as he stared at the screen. _Kenshin?! What's Kenshin doing in there?! That's impossible!_ he thought, trying to make sense out of the current situation. He wasn't having much luck. 

_Okay, first the system goes haywire while Mokuba's inside, an entire world is created out of nothing, Mokuba's stuck and can't get out and now Kenshin's in there?!_ Kaiba redoubled his efforts. If he didn't get Mokuba out soon, there's no telling what would happen to him. 

~*~ 

Kenshin was not having a good time. In fact he was more frustrated than he ever thought possible. _What is wrong with me?! I know his every move before he makes it but I can't counter a single one! I'm either to slow or way off the mark. What's happening to me?!_ Kenshin thought desperately as he felt himself flying through the air only to reconnect with the earth and skid a few feet. He slowly pulled himself to his feet. He thought he heard a small gasp and someone whisper his name, but he ignored it. He knew he only had strength left for one, final attack. He took all of his pent up frustration from his lack of success in this fight and released it one scream. He ran forward blindly, knowing that this was it. He would die by his opponent's sword, but he would not die alone. 

Kenshin started to run forward. His eyes were going in and out of focus, so he wasn't sure where his opponent was. Suddenly, someone was right in front of him. Kenshin brought his sword down with most of his remaining strength, feeling the blade hit it's target. _That's strange. Why does the air carry the scent of white plums?_

~*~ 

Mokuba shank back against the tree as he heard Kenshin's scream. It was filled with anger and frustration. Mokuba had never seen Kenshin like this—it was like he was possessed by a demon. Mokuba felt a chill go down his spine. 

Suddenly, Kenshin rushed forward toward his opponent, sword raised. The older man raised a knife in his hand and came to meet Kenshin halfway. Just before the two reached each other, Mokuba saw a streak of white. It was over in a second and it took Mokuba a minute to figure out what had happened. 

A woman dressed in a white kimono stood in between the two men. She had her back to Kenshin, clutching the other man's knife to keep it from reaching its destination. Mokuba watched as her white kimono slowly turned to red, tracing the line Kenshin had drawn with his sword and expanding outward. She fell to the ground, Kenshin trying to catch her as he fell as well. A heart-rending shriek split the air. 

"TOMOE!!!" 

~*~ 

Everyone stared at the screen. Although Kenshin had been fighting, they hadn't actually expected anyone to die, much less for him to have killed the two people. And what's more, these people didn't disappear when they died. Their corpses just stayed where they had fallen as a gruesome reminder of what had taken place. They could do naught but watch as the events played themselves out. 

~*~ 

Kenshin sank to the ground, crying openly as he felt Tomoe's life blood flowing over his hands. "Tomoe…no…." he cried brokenly, clutching her to him gently. _Why does it have to end like this?_ he thought, bitterly. 

Tomoe raised the knife she still clutched in her hand and gave him a second scar on his cheek. As the knife fell away from his face, suddenly all his memories he had been suppressing resurfaced, threatening to destroy him with the magnitude of emotions all assaulting him at once. The negative emotions were the more prominent ones, and he felt himself sinking into despair. He looked down and realized that Tomoe was gone. Suddenly, he could bare it no longer. 

"I wish I were dead!" he screamed, his voice raw with emotion. 

That, however, might not have been the smartest thing to do on his part. His subconscious mind supplied the only person skilled enough to defeat Kenshin, and the computer accepted the input. 

~*~ 

Mokuba sat cringing behind the tree. Tears ran freely down his cheeks, although whether from sorrow, fear or a mixture of the two he wasn't sure. Half of him wanted to go and comfort the crying boy several feet in front of him. The other half wanted to run away screaming. After all, he had just witnessed Kenshin murder two people. That kind of thing has a lasting effect on a person. 

Mokuba watched as the woman raised the knife to Kenshin's cheek. Instead of moving his head away from the blade, he moved closer to make it easier for her. After the blade left his cheek, he seemed somewhat dazed, almost in a trance. Mokuba watched as the woman's head fell to the side, her chest no longer rising or falling with any breath. She was dead. After a minute or two more, Kenshin seemed to snap out of it only realize she was gone. He bowed his head, clutching her to him tightly. 

Suddenly, Kenshin threw back his head and screamed at the top of his lungs, "I wish I were dead!" 

Without warning, a tall, well built man wearing a long white cape appeared out of the forest behind Kenshin. "Then I will grant you your wish, deshi." 

~*~ 

Upon hearing his master's voice, Kenshin held Tomoe's body from a moment longer before slowly placing her back down on the ground. He then stood and took a few steps to the left. He stood, and patiently waited for his master's attack. 

~*~ 

Nothing could be done from this side of the terminals, so Kaiba was forced to watch and wait. It wasn't too bad; as long as no harm came to Mokuba, he supposed he could wait a little while longer. Yoita was right—the computer was overriding all of his commands. There was nothing he could do but wait. 

Suddenly, a new man arrived one the scene. Slowly, Kenshin got up and faced him. Something about the way Kenshin stood alerted Kaiba that something was not right. It was as if Kenshin were giving up. Suddenly, the man struck without warning. Nine hits in all, head, chest, groin, both arms, sides, and legs. The man's blade tore through Kenshin's body, sending him flying back. He hit the ground hard, bouncing back up from the force of the impact. The ground was turning red with his blood. His eyes clearly showed the pain he was experiencing. His entire body tensed for a brief moment, before the muscles relaxed, allowing his head to fall to the side. Kenshin was dead. 

Suddenly, the screen went black. Worrying about Mokuba, Kaiba stared typing on the computer once again. The screen flickered back to life, showing the single room of the dojo. Sitting in the middle of the floor, hugging his knees while he rocked back and forth, was Mokuba. Kaiba quickly keyed in a few more commands, and watched as Mokuba disappeared. He ran over to the table his brother's body was lying on, and watched as the younger Kaiba opened his eyes. Seto smiled. 

Upon seeing his brother, Mokuba jumped up and flung his arms around him, crying. Kaiba held him, gently rocking him back and forth. "Ssh, it's alright, Mokuba, I'm here. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You're safe now," Kaiba whispered into his younger brother's ear. Mokuba just clutched him tighter. 

~*~ 


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: See chapters 1-18. It's there in every single one. 

**Chapter 34**

Tristan and Joey walked down the street. They usually hung out together on the weekends, and they were just walking around, killing time. Currently, it was 7:00 pm, and they were both starving. Coincidentally, they happened to be walking past Burger World and Tea just happened to be working today. They walked inside. 

"Hi welcome to Burger World! Let me show you to—oh, hey guys! What're you two doing here?" Tea asked, surprised to see her friends. 

"Oh, ya know, we was jus' out walkin' around an' decided to drop by," Joey replied. 

"In other words, you want a free meal?" Tea translated. 

Joey and Tristan both looked at her with puppy dog eyes. "Please?" they chorused. Tea sighed. 

"Alright, but only because you don't come here very often. I cannot afford for you to make this into a habit," she said as she showed them to their seats. She then took their orders and left to give it to the chief. 

A few minutes later, she returned with their food. "Here you go, enjoy your meal," she said, turning to walk away. Tristan stopped her. 

"Hey, Tea, what time do you get off?" 

"In about a half hour, why?" she asked. 

"Well, me an' Joey were thinkin' of heading over to Yugi's place. We haven't really hung out with him all that much these past few weeks. Do you wanna come with us?" 

"Sure!" she replied enthusiastically. 

"Awright then, we'll wait here 'til you get off," Joey said. 

She smiled and started towards one of the other tables she was serving. "You'd better not leave without me!" 

Now that that was settled Tristan and Joey turned—and began consuming their food at an alarming pace. 

~*~ 

\Alright, Yami. We need to find out what happened to Kenshin and we can't do that until we know whether or not Battousai had a hand in it. I want you to challenge him to a shadow game,\ Yugi said, after he had considered the matter. 

Yami wasn't surprised by Yugi's response. After all, it was in Yugi's nature to do all in his power to help others, regardless of what happened to himself. \\Are you sure, aibou? If he wins, then you very well may lose your life,\\ Yami said again. He wanted to make sure Yugi knew what he was agreeing to. 

\Yes, Yami. I'm sure.\ 

Sighing, Yami took control of the body and went to find Battousai. 

~*~ 

Battousai was sitting in Kenshin's room. It was only 7:50, but he had decided to go to bed early since he had nothing better to do. The lights were turned off, and he was sitting on the floor between the window and the bed. His sword was just under the bed, out of sight in case Grandpa paid him a surprise visit, but within reach should he have need of it. He sat on the floor indian style with his arms folded across his chest and his head titled forward. His eyes were closed, but he was not yet asleep. He was actually feeling all the different emotions being broadcast from the next room. 

Yami and Yugi were apparently having a serious discussion. _Probably about me,_ he noted. Yami been a little worried ever since those 'reporters' had stopped by. Yugi had been fine until just a few minutes ago. Battousai guessed that that was when the talk had started. Yami was reluctant, Yugi was curious, Yugi was nervous, Yugi was indecisive, Yami was serious, Yugi was determined and Yami was worried again. That is where they were right now. Battousai felt Yugi's aura become more elusive as Yami's became stronger. _Yami must be in control of the body. A decision has obviously been reached,_ Battousai thought, as he felt Yami's aura leave Yugi's room. Battousai hoped Yami would walk past his room, but knew he would have no such luck. _I am really getting tired of dealing with him,_ Battousai thought, annoyed. 

Yami stopped outside Kenshin's door. "Kenshin? Are you still awake? I would like to speak with you," he called through the closed door. 

"Grandpa is downstairs in the shop, Yami. He can't hear what you call me. If you wish to speak, then speak quickly, for I am tired of dealing with you altogether," Battousai replied. 

Yami was a bit taken back but his bluntness, "Excuse me?" 

"I said I'm tired of your insinuations, accusations, and interrogations. If you must speak then speak, but I do really wish you would go away. This is a private matter between Kenshin and myself and neither he nor I appreciate your trying to interlope in our affairs," Battousai said, rather rudely. _Okay, so I lied about Kenshin. But, he wouldn't like what Yami's trying to do any more than I do,_ Battousai thought to himself. He noted that Yami still stood at the door. 

"Well then, Battousai, let me get to the point. I am challenging you shadow game," Yami said, his voice serious. 

Now it was Battousai's turn to be surprised. "What?" 

"I said, I am challenging you to a shadow game, a simple game where the winner is not determined by skill but by the attributes of his or her soul. We cannot play it here, we need an open space. Come with me to the park and I will explain the rules there. If you play this game with me, and you win, I will not bother you about Kenshin, or anything else for that matter, anymore." 

Battousai was intrigued. _What the heck, I've got nothing better to do. Besides, this sounds like it might be fun._

The door opened to reveal a smirking Battousai, amber eyes shining in the light from the hall. "Lead the way." 

~*~ 

Tristan looked at his watch again. "Didn't she say she got off at 7:30? It's already 7:54!" Just as the complaint left his mouth, Tea walked up. 

"Sorry I'm late guys. One of the girls called in and I had to stay until her replacement could come," she explained as they walked out the door. "I guess it's a little late to go see Yugi, huh?" 

"Yeah. Oh well, we'll see him in school tomorrow, anyway. Hey, why don't we walk you home?" Tristan suggested. 

"Okay!" Tea agreed. The trio started walking to Tea's house. 

~*~ 

Yami and Battousai arrived at the park. Yami led Battousai to a rather secluded area and stopped. Battousai stopped as well. 

Yami scanned the area. Satisfied that there were no bystanders to be caught in the middle, he turned to Battousai. 

"You will need to give me the Mask in order for this game to work. If you win, I will give you my life. However, if I win then you will have penalty game. The rules are simple. I will ask you one question. You will answer, and then I will attack you with shadow magic. There will be only one attack. Your answer will determine the outcome of the game. If you lie, then your senses will be clouded and you will not be able to dodge the attack in time. It will hit you, and that will be your penalty game. However, the attack will be such that if you tell the truth you will see the attack coming and will be able to dodge it in time. I have issued the challenge. Do you accept?" 

"It is a shadow game. If I lose, you are entitled to take my life. The rules bind me, and I would be powerless to stop you from killing me. Retrieving the Mask with such restrictions in place would be a simple task," Yami explained. 

Battousai searched his aura. Yami was not lying. Battousai smirked. "Alright, I accept your challenge." 

Yami held out his hand for the Mask. With only slight hesitation, Battousai pulled the Mask off and handed it to Yami. Yami took it and stepped back. He then spoke, saying two words. 

"Game start." 

And Battousai's world promptly went black. 

~*~ 

Tea, Tristan and Joey walked, the latter two joking back and forth. Every now and then, Tristan would make some remark that got Joey all riled up. Tea would then get dragged into the middle with Tristan hiding behind her while Joey tried to get him. 

"It probably would have a lot safer walking home by myself. I swear, you two act like little kids!" she exclaimed, extracting herself from in between the two of them. At the next corner, she turned and started walking a different direction. 

"Hey Tea. Isn't your house this way?" Tristan asked, dodging Joey's fist. After Tristan's question, Joey stopped trying to pummel his friend and looked around. 

"Tristan's right. Didja move or sometin'?" Joey asked. 

Tea turned around and look at them. "Yes, my house is that way. However, it's shorter if you cut through the park," she explained, still walking. 

The two boys looked at each other and shrugged before following after her, previous argument forgotten. 

~*~ 

"What's the meaning of this?!" Battousai demanded. He didn't like not having access to one of his major senses, especially when he didn't have the Mask. 

"Calm down, Battousai. I am going to move so you won't know where the attack is coming from. If you answer the question truthfully, then you will regain your sight in plenty of time to dodge," Yami said, in a pacifying tone, his voice seeming to come from everywhere and no where all at the same time. 

Battousai just crossed his arms. It made sense, but he wasn't about to admit that. "Then speak," he commanded, "Ask your question, and let's be done with this entire affair." 

Yami complied. "Battousai. Do you know what happened to Kenshin?" Yami asked. 

_I should have known. It figures that he'd ask about that. Oh well, that was his one question and knowing the answer won't do him any good,_ Battousai thought to himself. "No," he answered, evenly. 

Battousai waited for the attack, noticing his vision start to clear. Yami was in his line of sight, apparently giving him time for his vision to clear. He then attacked. 

Battousai smirked as he saw the attack coming. Yami was right—it was much slower than normal. He could dodge it easily. However, being the type of person that he was, he decided to wait until the last minute to step out of the way. 

Right before it reached him, Battousai felt a familiar glimmer across his consciousness, distracting him. He knew that feeling well. 

//Kenshin?!// Just then, the forgotten attack hit him, plunging him into agony. One excruciating cry escaped his throat before he could stop it. It felt as if he was being torn in two. _He's trying to separate my soul from Kenshin's body!_ Battousai realized. The body was not willing to release it's hold on the soul and fought to keep it, but Yami's magic was stronger. After what seemed like ages but in reality was only a minute or two, Battousai felt the pain lessoning as he was ripped from the body. His world went black as he sank into oblivion. 

~*~ 

Tea and the others heard the scream at the same time. Tristan and Joey immediately took off running toward the sound, ready to come to the defense of whatever person was being attacked. Tea, fearing for her own safety, hesitated briefly before following them. There was only one scream to be heard, and the boys were worried that they may arrive to late to help. 

Rounding a grove of trees they saw Kenshin lying on the ground, his amber eyes expressly showing the excruciating pain he was experiencing. His body jerked violently as he tried to control the pain with in him. Abruptly, Kenshin's form stopped moving and lie still, his jaw slack and his lifeless eyes staring blankly in front of him. 

Joey and Tristan were furious. How dare someone do that to their friend! They looked up, ready to give the beating of a lifetime to whomever had done that to Kenshin,--and they met Yami's eyes. He looked at them, his face expressionless. Silence stretched between the two groups until Tea broke it. 

"Yami?" she asked, uncertainly, "What happened? What—what did you do to Kenshin?" 

Yami said nothing, just started walking over to where Kenshin's body lay. Joey and Tristan blocked his path, standing protectively, if not somewhat uncertainly, in front of Kenshin. Tea was checking to see if he was still alive. 

"I'm sorry, Yami, but we want to know what happened before we will let you near Kenshin," Tristan said. None of them, save Yugi, really knew Yami that well. Granted, they didn't know Kenshin very well but he was currently hurt and all the evidence pointed to Yami who didn't deny it. Yami stopped. 

"Move out of my way," he commanded in an authoritative tone. Neither Joey nor Tristan moved. Yami sighed, suddenly looking very tired. "Please. I wish to take him home." 

Tristan and Joey looked at each other a little uncertainly, but still didn't move. "Sorry, Yami, but you gotta see dis from our poin-ta-view. We hear Kenshin yell, find him on the ground and you standin' dere like nuttin's wrong. Dat's not gonna make us to trust you wit' him, ya know what I mean? Sorry, I realize Yug trusts you and dat's usually enough for me, but how do we know you're not controlling Yug like the spirit of the Ring did wit' Ryou?" Joey asked, trying not to offend Yami too much. Yami shook his head. 

"You're just going to have to trust me, Joey. I would like to take Kenshin home. You may all come, if you wish. I will explain everything there," Yami said. 

Joey wasn't sure what it was about Yami, maybe the tone of his voice or the look in his eye, but he stepped aside. Tristan followed his example. Yami nodded his thanks, and walked past them. Yami kneeled, closing Kenshin's still star and gently gathered Kenshin's unresisting body in his arms. He stood and began walking back towards the game shop, everyone else following behind him in silence. 

~*~ 

Yami stopped by the alley right before the game shop. Everyone else stopped as well. Yami turned to them. 

"We didn't let Grandpa know we left. I don't want him to worry about Kenshin, so I'll need you three to distract him while I sneak Kenshin in the back, Make small talk to give me a little time to put Kenshin in his room, and then ask to talk to Yugi. Grandpa should bring you up to his room, where I'll be waiting. I will explain everything then," Yami said. 

After a little hesitation, they agreed. Yami walked into the alley and behind the game shop and waited. After he was sure Grandpa had answered the door, he let himself in and silently made his way up the stairs. He opened the door to Kenshin's room, and placed him in his bed. He removed Kenshin's shoes, leaving him dressed in his normal clothes, and pulled the blanket over him. If Grandpa happened to walk in, he would think Kenshin was asleep. 

Satisfied with his work, Yami closed the door to Kenshin's room and entered Yugi's room. He took the Mask out of his pocket and placed it on the desk. He sat at Yugi's desk with his back to the door, pretending to be working on homework. Not long after he had sat down, footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. There was a knock on his door. 

"The door is open," he called, raising his voice a notch in pitch to sound more like Yugi's. 

Grandpa opened the door, Joey, Tristan, and Tea behind him. "Yugi, some of your friends came to visit," he said as they walked past his into the room. Yami nodded to show he heard, not turning around. Grandpa closed the door as he exited the room. 

Before he could walk very far away from the room, he heard Joey's loud voice. "Alright, Yami, what gives?" 

"Quiet, Joey! I don't want Grandpa to hear," came Yami's quieter response. This, of course, piqued Grandpa's curiosity and he pressed his ear against the door to hear better. 

~*~ 

As soon as Grandpa closed the door, Yami turned around to face his friends. Almost immediately Joey asked, "Alright, Yami, what gives?" 

Yami looked at him sharply. "Quiet, Joey! I don't want Grandpa to hear," he said, sternly. 

Joey got the hint, and lowered his voice. "So what gives? Whadja do ta Kenshin?" 

Yami sighed. "I suppose that I had better start at the beginning." 

~*~ 


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: See chapters 1-18. It's there in every single one. 

**Chapter 35**

Yami sat with his eyes closed, pondering on where to begin and how much to tell them. Tea, Tristan and Joey all sat waiting for him to speak. Grandpa stood outside the room, ear firming pressed against the door. Deciding it would be best to tell them everything, Yami opened is eyes and looked at them. 

"It all started five or six weeks ago. Yugi was walking home from school alone when I felt a surge of shadow magic. It was then that we found Kenshin. Yugi told you about finding Kenshin, but what he did not tell you was that Kenshin had a Millennium Item. The Millennium Mask, to be exact," Yami began before Tea interrupted him. 

"You mean that egyption looking pendant that Kenshin always wears?" she asked. Yami nodded. 

"Yes, Tea. Yugi visited Kenshin at the hospital to keep an eye on him, but they soon became friends. Hence the reason why Kenshin is staying with us. Neither Yugi nor myself had seen anything to indicate that Kenshin even knew about the Millennium Item in his possession. However, we weren't the only ones to notice the Mask. A certain tomb robber did, as well," Yami said. Tristan was the one who broke in this time. 

"But, that's impossible, Yami. Ryou doesn't even have the Ring anymore—I got rid of it at Duelist Kingdom," he argued. Yami sighed. 

"The Ring, or more appropriately, the spirit of the Ring found a way back to Ryou. No matter how he tried, Ryou couldn't get rid of the Ring. That night when we were all out at the arcade, do you remember? Joey accidentally hit Kenshin while aiming for Tristan. You hurt Kenshin more than he let on. The wound in his side he reopened and was bleeding again," Yami said, looking at Joey before he continued. "When Kenshin tried to leave early, Ryou agreed to escort him home, but his yami took over. I'm not sure what transpired between them, but when I felt the shadow magic being used, Yugi hurried over to see what happened. That was when we found Ryou unconscious in the alley. Kenshin was already home by the time we got there." 

"The next day, Ryou met me after school and showed me the Millennium Ring. He told me that his yami had taken control of him and done something, but he didn't know what. Yugi had also found the card Glory of the Kings Opposite Hand in Kenshin's pocket the night before. Ryou confirmed it was his. Kenshin and Bakura had fought and Kenshin had come out as the victor." 

"Somehow, Kenshin had heard about the kendo tournament and he wanted to enter. Yugi tried to talk him out of it, but he was adamant about participating in it. As you know, Yugi and Ryou had been watching the tournament together. In the last round between Kenshin and Kaiba, Bakura took over Ryou's body once again. I also took control of Yugi's body to make sure the thief didn't try anything. It was then that Kaiba landed a good hit on Kenshin's injured side. After an impressive show of skills, Kenshin won the match. However, there was something different about him. He looked at Bakura and myself almost as if he were warning us to stay away. He went back to the locker rooms, and I lost Bakura in the crowd. I decided to wait outside for Kenshin and saw him walking deeper into the park. I followed at a discreet distance. After we had reached a secluded area, he stopped and addressed me directly. I don't know how he knew I was there. I tried acting like Yugi, but he knew I was someone else. He could tell without even looking at me. I introduced myself, and guessed that he was not Kenshin, but Kenshin's yami. He confirmed my guess. Unbeknownst to me, Bakura had followed as well and was planning an ambush. Somehow, Kenshin's yami knew not only that he was there, but also the instant that he was going to attack. He pushed me out of the way, as the attack had been meant for me, and knocked out Bakura. I believe he re-opened another one of his injuries and Grandpa saw the blood on his clothes when we got home, so Kenshin went back to the hospital." 

"When he got out, he told Ryou and myself about his past. You see, he's actually from the Bakumatsu. One of the powers of the Mask is time travel. Apparently, his yami didn't appreciate the amount of information Kenshin was giving out and he took over Kenshin's body and threatened us. After which Kenshin promptly removed the Mask and threw it on his bed. It was strange because almost immediately Bakura took over Ryou, but you couldn't tell by looking at him. But somehow Kenshin knew and warned him about attempting to take the Mask. Bakura retreated to the Ring and Ryou apologized." 

"Kenshin, apparently still fighting with his yami, left the Mask at home on Monday. Bakura noticed, and stole it while Kenshin was detained after school. Ms. Someya wanted to ask him about his test. Anyway, when he got home, he discovered the Mask missing and went in search of Bakura. According to Kenshin, they fought and Kenshin was forced to escape because his yami had apparently told Bakura Kenshin's only weakness. Surprisingly enough, the next day at school Ryou told me he had the Mask. Kenshin's yami had been able to speak with him after Bakura had gone to sleep. Due to certain difficulties, Ryou was not able to find the Mask without alerting Bakura, so we started working out a plan to get the Mask back. However, Kenshin was one step ahead of us. He fought Bakura that afternoon. He defeated him, and asked me to banish the spirit of the Ring to the shadow realm. I did so, and we helped Ryou home. Ryou searched everywhere, but couldn't find the Mask. Kenshin didn't seem to worried and asked us to stop looking." 

"The next Sunday, we noticed that Kenshin was starting to act more like his yami and decided that it was an adverse affect of not having the Mask. We enlisted Ryou's help and used the Ring to find the Mask. Surprisingly enough, Kenshin had it. I confronted him about it later. I asked him to let me talk to Kenshin and he refused, saying he couldn't. He tossed me the Mask to prove his point. Even without the Mask in his possession, he stayed in control of Kenshin's body. I noticed that the Mask was empty of souls. The current problem was finding Kenshin's soul. Now, it is almost impossible to get an explanation from Kenshin. His yami is even more secretive with his knowledge. The only person who could give me any information regarding Kenshin happened to be his yami. So, I challenged him to a shadow game." 

"This shadow game was different from a normal shadow game. This one was more of a 'lie detector test', as Yugi calls them. The rules were simple. I would ask Kenshin's yami a question and then I would attack him with shadow magic. If he lied, then he would not be able to see the attack and would be hit, sending his soul from Kenshin's body to where it belonged. If he told the truth, the he would see the attack coming and be able to dodge it," Yami finished explaining. 

"What did you mean, sending his soul where it belonged? You didn't send him to the Shadow Realm, did you?" Tea asked. Yami shook his head. 

"No, I sent his spirit back inside of the Millennium Mask. Apparently, Kenshin's body did not want to release it's hold on Kenshin's yami's soul, so I imagine that the experience was quiet painful. He's probably unconscious right now." 

"So, what was your question? I'm assuming he lied since you won the game," Tea continued. 

Yami's gaze slid to the floor, confusion clouding his face. "I asked him if he knew what happened to Kenshin. He said no, but I think he told the truth because he looked right at me and smirked. He saw the attack coming, that much I am sure of. But, why did he not move? That I do not know," Yami said, his voice heavy. He was no closer to finding out about Kenshin's whereabouts than he was before. 

Tristan shook his head. "Man, we sure missed a lot, huh?" he remarked. It was a little hard to believe that this had all happened right under their noses. 

"So, what's his yami's name? I mean, we can't go around callin' him 'Kenshin's yami' all the time. Maybe since we call Ryou's yami Bakura, we could call Kenshin's yami Himura," Joey suggested. 

"Actually, Kenshin gave his yami one of his nick names he had a few years back. He calls him Battousai," Yami explained. He had hoped that they wouldn't have noticed he hadn't said Kenshin's yami's name, but they deserved the true answer to all of their questions. Yami just hoped Kenshin was to upset with him when he found out. Of course, they still had to find him, first. 

"So, Kenshin is from the Bakumatsu? That sure explains why he got so upset when Tristan was complaining about having to learn about it the other day. Did he know any of the leaders?" Tea asked, a little intrigued. 

Yami smiled at her question. "Yes, I believed he worked for them." 

"What did he do?" Tristan asked. Yami sighed. No, Kenshin was not going to be happy. 

"He was a hitokiri for the Ishin Shishi," Yami explained. 

"A hitokiri? Wait a sec—you mean he killed people?!" Joey asked, incredulously. Tristan and Tea had similar looks of shock on their faces. That is, until Tea made another connection. 

"Battousai, why does that name sound familiar? Wait, didn't Ms. Someya say something in class about the legendary Hitokiri Battousai?" She looked to Yami for confirmation. He nodded and she continued, "So, they still know about his legend over a hundred years later. He must have been terrible. Hold on—it's the legendary _Battousai_, not the legendary _Kenshin_. Does that mean that Battousai was the one who killed all those people during the Bakumatsu?" Tea asked. Yami shook his head. 

"Just like Bakura was given part of Ryou's name, so was Battousai with Kenshin's. Kenshin told me that he had earned the name Hitokiri Battousai long before his yami ever joined in the fighting," Yami explained. Everyone else looked a little stunned. It's not everyday you find out that you have one of the most deadly men in history in your class. 

"But, he's so young! Surely, he couldn't be the Battousai?" Tea asked, having trouble accepting this at face value. 

"Tea, you saw a small portion of his skill at the tournament. He is more than qualified to fulfill the role of a hitokiri," Yami explained. 

They sat in silence until Yami looked at the time. "It's late and Yugi needs to go to sleep. You all have school tomorrow, so I would suggest heading home. I don't think Grandpa would mind giving any of you a ride home," Yami said. They nodded and moved towards the door. 

Grandpa, realizing the meeting was over quickly stepped back and raised his hand as if he were going to knock on the door, just as it was opened from the other side. 

"Oh, I see you're done. I was just coming to inform you of the time. Would any of you like a ride?" he asked. Not even Yami could tell that he had been listening in. 

Tea, Joey and Tristan all shook their heads. "No thanks, Mr. Mutou. We don't live very far from here," Tea replied. Grandpa nodded and escorted them to the door, locking up after they had left. He then went into the kitchen and sat at the table, resting his chin in his hands. That was a lot to take in, and he didn't think he would be able to sleep just yet. 

~*~ 

Kenshin opened his eyes and found himself staring at a gray ceiling. Looking around, he discovered he was lying on one of the tables in Kaiba's laboratory. He looked over to his right to see Kaiba comforting a crying Mokuba on the other table. The two scientists were working on the computer as if their lives depended on it. Which, judging by the glares Kaiba kept sending their way, it might. 

A little confused as to why he was there, and not wishing to stay any longer, Kenshin slid off the table and silently made his way to the door. He tried to grab the handle and was a little disconcerted when he felt his hand go through the handle. At first, his mind didn't really register the fact that his hand was transparent. After all, everything he'd seen for the past week was transparent. But, after a quick survey of the room, he discovered that he was the only transparent thing in there. 

/What's going on?/ he said aloud. Kaiba's head snapped up as though he heard something that he hadn't expected. He listened, trying to tell whether it was his imagination or not. He the looked to the side and saw a transparent Kenshin standing in front of the door. The red head looked a little confused and was staring at his hand. 

/I'm transparent, and I just move right through anything I try to touch. It sounds to me like I've become a ghost./ Kenshin snapped his head around, looking for something. 

/WHERE'S MY BODY?!/ he yelled in alarm. /If Battousai has gotten me killed…/ he trailed off into a growl. Kaiba was confused, to say the least. 

Kenshin took off at a run, as fast as his now transparent legs could carry him. He didn't even bother with the door, opting instead to just run through it. He vaguely recalled the way out of the mansion, but he didn't realize that he couldn't use the elevator until he reached it. Fortunately for him, their was a door right next to the elevator that had a sign over it that read 'Stairs'. 

Kenshin rushed through the door, and up the stairs. Every time he came to a door, he'd stick his head through to see where he was. The second door he came to was the one he wanted. It opened up into the main lobby. Kenshin ran through the door and then through the tall oak doors that led outside. He had successfully exited Kaiba's mansion. He continued running down the drive way and out the gates, pausing briefly to get his bearings before heading home. He never noticed the strange glow that seemed to illuminate his body as he passed under several black lights. 

~*~ 

Kaiba stared at the door Kenshin had disappeared through. _What was that just now? I thought I saw Kenshin, but that's impossible…_ Kaiba looked around. No one else had heard or seen Kenshin leave the room. 

Mokuba, feeling Kaiba stiffen slightly, looked up at his older brother. "What is it, Seto?" he asked, fear creeping into his voice. 

At hearing his brother's frightened voice, Kaiba looked down at him and smiled reassuringly. "Nothing Mokuba. I thought Yoita said something, but it was just my imagination," he said soothingly as he rubbed Mokuba's back. _It _must_ have just been my imagination._

Mokuba nodded and leaned back against his brother. The whole experience had been very draining for him, and he felt safe in his brother's arms. _Seto won't let anything happen to me,_ he thought as he felt his eye lids start to fall. 

Kaiba, noticing his brother falling asleep, got up and walked over to the door. "I want a full report on my desk in the morning," he said to Yoita and Kobayashi, quietly so as not disturb Mokuba. They nodded to show they had heard and he left. 

Mokuba was already fast asleep by the time Kaiba reached his room. He gently laid his brother in the bed and stayed there for a few minutes in case he woke up. Mokuba remained asleep, and Kaiba left the room. 

His head of security, Fumihiko Nishimura, was waiting for him outside the door. "Mr. Kaiba, we picked up something on the security camera's a few minutes ago that I think you need to see," he said. 

Kaiba nodded his consent to look at it right now and followed him to the room were all the monitors were located. Nishimura walked over and started typing on the keyboard in front of one of the screens while he explained what happened to Kaiba. 

"Ayoto was the first one to spot it. It seems that only the black lights are able to show it," Nishimura aid, pointing at the screen. There was a streak of purple, getting brighter as it passed under the black lights and darker as it moved further away from them. 

"But here's the strange part. This—thing—passed right under a light, so we should have been able to see what it was. Let me show you." 

The tapes played in slow motion, switching from camera to camera, following the purple blur. "See, it passed under a black light right here," Nishimura said, pointing at the blur, "and it entered the light here, but there's nothing there. It had to go right under that light, though because it reappears here," he said, pointing to the re-forming streak. 

Kaiba was more confused than ever. He had been listening to Nishimura, so he didn't say anything, not wanted to make himself look like a fool. While Nishimura didn't see what passed under that light, Kaiba did. As a matter of fact, he even stopped as if he was considering something, giving Kaiba a good view of him before rushing on. It was Kenshin. 

Nishimura, not having noticed Kaiba's reaction, continued. "What worries me, sir, is that there is no record of it's entrance. It just appeared coming out of the main doors, or rather _through_ them, if you can believe that," he said. 

Kaiba, wanting to think about what he had seen, turned and walked away, leaving a very confused Nishimura in his wake. 

"Sir! What do you think we should do about this?" 

"Deal with it as you see fit," Kaiba said, closing the door. He walked up to his room, and sat on the edge of the bed. He was going to have a long talk with Kenshin tomorrow. 

~*~ 

Kenshin was lost. He had been paying attention to where the driver had turned when he was first taken there, but that was over a week ago and he had forgotten. He was walking around lost when he felt a familiar aura walking towards him. He ignored it—Ryou wouldn't be able to see him anyway. He was more than a little surprised when he heard the boy call out to him. 

"Kenshin! Wait up!" 

Kenshin turned around slowly. He was standing in the shadows (force of habit), making it difficult to see him if he had his body. He was nearly impossible to see as a spirit. 

/You can see me?/ he asked. 

Ryou stopped under a street light. "Oh, I'm sorry, were you hiding from someone? I saw your red hair as you walked under that last light and I figured that it had to be you." He paused as he considered something. "Although, that is an odd question to ask. Why wouldn't I be able to see you?" 

In response, Kenshin walked towards the white haired boy. Ryou gasped when he saw—or rather _saw through_ Kenshin's body as he stepped into the light. Ryou managed a weak smile. 

"Not having a very good day, are you?" he joked. 

Kenshin smiled in return. /No, not really,/ Kenshin replied, thinking back over the last day he experienced in Kaiba's virtual reality system. Kenshin almost shuddered at the memory—almost. Ryou was still present, and the boy need not know about that. 

"So, what happened?" 

Kenshin figured he might as well be honest with the boy—after all Ryou might be the only one could see Kenshin. The spirit sighed. /I do not know,/ he replied. Ryou didn't look like he completely believed that, so Kenshin elaborated. 

/Well, when I fought Bakura after school and we helped you home, I took the Mask back without either yours or Yugi's knowledge. That Saturday, Kaiba invited me to his mansion for a rematch in virtual reality. I defeated him, but I was there for over a week. I just woke up in the real world about half an hour ago. I obviously don't have my body, so I think Battousai might have killed me in the week I was gone,/ Kenshin explained. Ryou looked a little confused. 

"Kenshin, you say you went to Kaiba's on Saturday?" Kenshin nodded and Ryou continued. "Well, it hasn't been a week. It's only been one day." 

Now it was Kenshin's turn to look confused. /Hm, I suppose time must flow differently there,/ he said at last. That was the only explanation. 

Just then, Joey and Tristan came walking up. "Hey, Ryou—what're you doin' out this late?" Joey asked. Ryou smiled a little sheepishly. 

"Well, I couldn't sleep. I often go for walks when I can't sleep, you know, to unwind," he explained. He quickly steered the conversation away from himself. "What are you two doing out this late?" he asked. 

"We were over at Yugi's house—Yami was explaining everything to us that you two had been keeping us in the dark about," Tristan said, looking at Ryou pointedly. Ryou gulped." K-keeping you in the dark about?" he asked innocently. The only secrets that had been kept all pertained to Kenshin and Battousai. The former of which was standing right in front of Tristan and Joey. Ryou prayed they didn't say anything that would upset Kenshin. True, he was a ghost, but that meant he could now possess people. Ryou had no such luck, however. 

"Yeah, ya know, about Kenshin? And his yami? Man, I still can't believe Kenshin was a hitokiri, though. I mean, come on! He's too nice ta have killed anybody. He couldn't even hurt a fly!" Joey said, joking. 

Ryou's gaze slid over to Kenshin. He didn't look very nice at the moment. His hair was obscuring his eyes from view and his hands were clenching and unclenching at his sides, as if trying to stop himself from doing something he'd later regret. Anger practically radiated off him in waves. 

/I assume that Yami just told them this?/ Kenshin asked in icy tones. Ryou suppressed a shudder, infinitely glad that it was not him who was on the receiving end of Kenshin's wrath. 

"Apparently," Ryou whispered, hoping Joey and Tristan hadn't heard him. They hadn't. 

They were, however, getting on Kenshin's nerves. So, Kenshin decided to do the only thing he could at the moment. He manipulated his ki in such a way that allowed them to felt it. He then put several emotions into it, including and immense amount of anger and a yearning to kill something—namely them. He did not actually wish to kill them, but he long ago learned to manipulate his emotions when trying to intimidate someone. He unleashed it in a wave, washing over both Joey and Tristan, but being careful to miss Ryou entirely. 

The effect was instantaneous. Joey and Tristan both stopped laughing and grabbed onto the other, scared out of their wits. 

"D-d-did you f-feel that?" Joey asked. 

"Y-yeah," Tristan replied. 

Ryou, not knowing what Kenshin did, looked confused. He opened his mouth to ask, but Kenshin interrupted him. 

/Ryou, make up some story about evil spirits who are easily angered residing around here,/ Kenshin said, an almost evil smirk replacing his normal smile. Ryou caught his meaning and played along. 

"What is it? Did you two feel something right now?" Ryou asked, growing concern in his voice. They nodded, unable to speak. Ryou visibly gulped before continuing, obviously not wanting to tell them something. 

"Bakura used to tell me about all the horrible evil spirits that reside around here," Ryou said, somewhat shakily. "Little things set them off and once they're angry, nothing can pacify them until they've destroyed the source of their anger," he explained somewhat hesitantly. He turned his head sharply to the right, listening. 

"Did you hear that?" he whispered. Neither Joey nor Tristan moved. Suddenly, Ryou's eyes widened in fear. 

"Oh no, they're coming! RUN!!!" Ryou yelled. Joey and Tristan didn't need to be told twice. They ran out of there screaming like banshees and running at a speed that Kenshin would have envied if he were younger and not trained in Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. 

As soon as they rounded the corner, Ryou couldn't help it anymore—he started laughing. He was laughing so hard that he couldn't stay standing, and he fell to his knees. Even Kenshin was chuckling a bit. After a few minutes Ryou's stomach muscles were protesting at being used so much and his lungs were screaming for air, so he tried to calm himself down somewhat. When he could talk again, he turned to Kenshin. 

"How did you do that?" he asked, still laughing a bit. 

Kenshin shrugged his shoulders. /It's just a manipulation of your ki that is sent towards your opponent. It's used for intimidation in sword fights. Sometimes, if done correctly, your opponent would run away in terror and you wouldn't have to fight at all,/ he explained. /Thank you for helping me. You're quite a good actor,/ Kenshin commented. Ryou raised his hand to the back of his neck. 

"Oh, I just got caught up in the moment. I'm surprised they bought it—I'm a terrible lair," he admitted. Kenshin just smiled at him. Then his smile darkened as he remembered the reason for the joke. 

/I think I shall go pay Yami a visit./ 

#126;*~ 


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: See chapters 1-18. It's there in every single one.

**Chapter 36**

/I think I'll go pay Yami a visit./

Ryou followed as Kenshin started walking. "You know, I think Yami must have had a good reason to tell them," he said tentatively, trying to pacify Kenshin's anger. Yugi was his friend, and he rather enjoyed his friend being alive.

Kenshin didn't even stop walking as he answered Ryou. /Then I shall ask his reason, although there is none that I can think of that would warrant him telling others about _my_ secrets,/ he said evenly. Ryou wasn't sure whether that boded well or not.

As they rounded a corner, they ran into a group of thugs. Kenshin ignored them, continuing on. They posed no threat if he had his body and being a spirit made him even more invulnerable to their attacks. Ryou, however, wasn't quite as lucky. They blocked his path as he tried to walk past them.

"What's your hurry, pretty boy?" one of them said, taunting.

Ryou took an instinctive step back as they started toward him. "Yes, well, it is late and I really must be getting home," he said, trying to edge away. Another member of the gang came up behind him, blocking his exit.

"You've entered our turf. Now, you have to play by our rules. And we don't like pretty boys trespassing on our turf."

Kenshin, feeling the hostile ki of the thugs, stopped. He looked back and saw Ryou was cornered. He took a quick survey of the surrounding area, considering his options. A broken mop handle sticking out of a trash can by the wall caught his eye. A plan formed in his mind, but he would need Ryou's permission.

/Ryou, would you mind if I took over your body?/

Ryou blinked in surprise. "If you have a plan, then by all means," he said. The thugs looked at him, confused.

"What'd you say? Who ya talkin' to?"

Ryou kept silent, focusing instead on Kenshin. Kenshin had walked back to the group, standing next to Ryou. He closed his eyes, concentrating on merging with Ryou's body. Surprisingly enough, he was repelled by a shield of some sort. He focused on the boy, detecting a faint shield surrounding him, but not emanating from him. He looked for the source of the shield. It was the Ring. On an impulse, Kenshin closed his eyes again, this time trying to merge with Ryou by going through the Ring first. He opened his eyes and saw one of the thugs staring back at him. He had succeeded. He allowed himself to smile.

The thug seemed to take it the wrong way. "What you smilin' at, pretty boy?! How about I wipe that smile off your face!" he said, aiming a punch for Ryou's head. However, he was too slow. Kenshin had already darted over to the trash can, picking up the broken mop handle. It was about the correct length, and he gave it a test swing. /This will do nicely,/ he commented. Ryou was silent, not wanting to distract him.

Kenshin turned back to the thugs, who had just discovered where he had run to although they still had to figure out how he had gotten over there so fast. Kenshin challenged them. "You wish to fight me? Then come. I will not hold back. Do not hold me accountable for what happens here," he said. Ryou was astonished by how cold his voice sounded. Kenshin must really be mad, he thought, not realizing he had said that aloud.

Kenshin smirked. /Do not send me the thoughts you do not wish me to hear,/ Kenshin said, a little amusement in his voice, before turning back to the matter at hand.

Kenshin's words had implied that the gang was no match for him. They could not take a blow like that to their pride sitting down. At a signal from their leader, everyone rushed Kenshin at once.

A few seconds later, Kenshin dropped the pieces of what used to be a mop handle back into the trash. He then made his way over and around the moaning bodies of the gang members. He rounded the next corner before giving control back to Ryou. Ryou looked a little nervous.

/What's wrong?/ Kenshin asked. He couldn't explain why, but he felt a certain—attachment to this boy now, and didn't wish to leave him. He shook off the feeling.

"Well, it's just that, well, you shouldn't have beaten them," Ryou said softly. Kenshin was a little surprised.

/Their ki wasn't exactly friendly. They'd have done much worse to you than what I did to them. Even though I said I wouldn't hold back I had to. They were too weak,/ Kenshin replied, brushing it off.

"It's not that—it's just that, well, now that you've beaten them, they're going to want revenge on me," Ryou explained.

/They would do well to remember how effortlessly you defeated them the first time./

"Well, they will probably have a lot more people the next time and it will probably be an ambush."

/I can sense their ki. They cannot hide from me./

"That may be so, but it's not you they are after, is it? It's me."

Kenshin stopped walking. He had reacted to the situation as he would in his own body. He had forgotten that the repercussions would come back, not on him, but on Ryou.

/I'm sorry. I did not think about the consequences of my actions. To make up for it, I shall stay and protect you for a few days, until they try for their revenge. I suppose I shall have to teach them the lesson better the second time through to make sure they don't try again,/ Kenshin said, an idea already forming in his mind. Ryou had to disagree.

"But Kenshin, what about Battousai? He seems to be a bit temperamental. Do you think he can hide the fact that you're not in control of the body from Yami? Won't he be worried about you?" Ryou asked.

/Don't worry about Battousai. I'll talk to him,/ Kenshin said reassuringly. As if summoned by their conversation, Kenshin suddenly heard a worried voice calling him.

//Kenshin!//

Battousai opened his eyes and looked around. He was in his soul room--_his_ soul room, not Kenshin's. _How did I get back in here?_ he thought, a little confused. The memories came back to him slowly.

_I was playing a shadow game with Yami. After I answered his question, I saw the attack coming. But right before I jumped out of the way I was distracted by--_ //Kenshin!// he yelled the last part, not really expecting a response.

/Hai?/ That simple word caused Battousai to jump about four feet in the air.

//Kenshin? Is that really you? Where have you been?!// Battousai demanded in a very loud voice.

Kenshin winced. /Really, Battousai, there's no need to yell./

//There's no need to yell? I haven't seen hide nor hair of you since yesterday afternoon, I haven't been able to talk to you or even sense you, I'm stuck trying to live YOUR life while convincing everyone that I'm YOU! Here I've been worried sick about you and all you have to say is THERE'S NO NEED TO YELL?!// Battousai practically screamed.

Kenshin resisted the temptation to put his hand to his head, focusing instead on what Battousai had said. /You were worried about me?/ he asked.

//Hmph.// Kenshin could practically see Battousai folding his arms and tossing his head to the side as if he didn't care. He always did that when he had revealed too much about his feelings.

//Of course I was worried about you. I knew Kaiba had done something with your soul because every time I tried to leave the body, I could only go to _your_ soul room. It feels good to finally be back in my own room,// he said, changing the subject.

Ryou interrupted before Kenshin could reply. "Um, Kenshin? Are you talking to Battousai?" he asked a little uncertainly.

Kenshin looked at him. /Yes, why?/

//What?//

/Ryou asked me a question and I answered him,/ Kenshin explained.

//Then why can I hear you?//

/Because I happen to be a spirit right now, as you have my body, and this is the only way I can communicate,/ Kenshin explained.

Guys? I can hear you both, Ryou said, interrupting them.

Kenshin just stared at him. /How can you…?/ Kenshin trailed off, confused.

Battousai was a little more vocal about his feelings. //What are you doing here?! How can you hear us?! Why are you eavesdropping on our conversation?!// he demanded.

/Be quiet!/ Kenshin commanded in a tone that brooked no room for argument. Battousai did as he was told. Kenshin turned to the slightly frightened boy at his side. /How are you able to hear us?/ he asked gently.

Ryou shook his head. "I don't know. I never could before."

//Answer him, boy!//

/He did, only you couldn't hear it./

//Oh. Well, what did he say?//

I don't know why I can hear you. I never could before, so I don't know why I can now, Ryou repeated, for Battousai's sake. Suddenly, Ryou yawned, alerting Kenshin to how late it was.

/I'm sorry, Ryou, I didn't realize how late it was. You have school tomorrow, don't you?/

"Yeah," he admitted.

/Well, we should be getting back. I can't leave you alone incase those thugs didn't get the message the first time, so I suppose I'll have to wait to talk to Yami until tomorrow./

//Why is he trying to exclude me from the conversation?!//

/Because you're too easily angered and tend to point accusations a little too readily. Besides, you're scaring the poor boy. I'll see you tomorrow in school,/ he said, closing the link between their minds. He didn't hear Battousai's last comment.

//No, you won't.//

Ryou waited for the remark that was sure to come from Battousai, but there was only silence. "What happened to Battousai?" he asked after a few minutes.

Kenshin looked at the boy. /Well, that is interesting. It appears that you can only hear Battousai because I can hear him. I closed the link between our minds,/ Kenshin explained.

_That means our minds must be linked somehow. I wonder if it happened with I took over his body. That must have been it. But why?_ Kenshin wondered. He looked over at Ryou and noticed that the poor boy was practically falling asleep on his feet. Kenshin decided to take pity on the boy.

/Ryou, if you would let me, I could possess your body and get you home in a matter of minutes,/ Kenshin offered. Ryou seemed to consider it and then agreed. Kenshin noticed that the shield around Ryou which had pushed him away before, now invited him in. _That's very odd,_ he thought to himself. He decided he would ponder the matter later, and began to run. He reached Ryou's house and let the boy have control. He waited until Ryou was asleep before he left. He went to go check on the proceedings of the gang to see if they were indeed planning retribution—or at least, he tried to. He hadn't gone more than a block from Ryou's house when he was pulled back by an invisible force field.

Startled, he tried again with the same results. He tried going I different directions, but he could only get so far from a certain point. Upon further inspection, he discovered that this central point happened to be located in Ryou's house, or more specifically, Ryou's room.

Not wanting to intrude upon Ryou's privacy, he sat down at the kitchen table. He rested his head in his hands, looking down at the table. He thought about the newest problem, trying to come up with an explanation. He had all but given up when he noticed something on his chest. He almost fell out of his chair in surprise. _Oh, this is just not my day,_ he thought dejectedly, letting his head fall back into his hands.

Hanging around Kenshin's neck on a non-descript brown cord, was the Millennium Ring.


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: See chapters 1-18. It's there in every single one.

Nekotsuki is writing a RK fanfic called "Tantabata Jasmine". It's a wonderful story—check it out!

Also several people have asked the whereabouts of a certain white-haired thief. Yami banished him to the shadow realm a few chapters back and I have no plans to brig him back into this story. I'm sorry if I inadvertently got anyone's hopes up.

**Chapter 37**

Kenshin sat at the kitchen table a few minutes longer before standing up determinedly. _Well, I suppose there is no use in agonizing over this recent turn of events. Might as well take a look around my new home,_ he thought, closing his eyes as he concentrated on sensing the Ring. He could see it clearly in his mind and he willed himself inside it.

He opened his eyes to an unfamiliar surrounding. It looked like a tomb of some sort. _Why am I not surprised?_ he thought, wryly. He decided to do some exploring.

Suddenly, something appeared before him, blocking his path. The being had no identifiable shape, just a mass of darkness blacker than any of the shadows in the soul room. Kenshin was startled when the entity spoke.

You do not belong here. The voice was soft, like a breath of wind across Kenshin's mind. It was also ancient and held an unknown power behind it's words. Kenshin decided to try and learn more about it.

/What are you?/ he asked, no fear in his words only curiosity.

I am the essence of the Millennium Ring. You do not belong here, it repeated.

Kenshin was surprised by that answer, to say the least. /Why do you reject me?/ Kenshin asked.

You are the hikari of the another Millennium Item's spirit. Only yami's can reside within Millennium Items as their darkness allows them to control the shadow powers granted them by the Items. No hikari can ever reside within a Millennium Item, or hope to ever control the shadow powers within. Without warning, the entity attacked Kenshin with shadow magic, driving him from the Ring the only way it knew how. Force him to leave or destroy him.

Kenshin, being in his spirit form, defended himself the only way he knew how—by manipulating his ki. Without thought, he formed his ki into a shield to deflect the attack and countered with a wave of ki. Even though he had manipulated his ki countless times before, there was something different this time. It was as if he were drawing the power out from another, darker source. Not having the time to dwell on such things he dismissed the feeling, concentrating instead on his attack. He was considerably surprised when his ki appeared as a black wave, colliding with the dark shape before him. There was a brilliant flash of light, forcing Kenshin to cover his eyes. When he could see again, the entity was gone. It's voice brushed across his mind once again.

A hikari with who possesses the darkness of a yami and already has mastery over the shadow powers… Interesting. Never before have I seen one such as you. You have proven your worthiness. I shall allow you to stay in the Ring.

Kenshin was baffled. _A hikari with the darkness of a yami? Mastery over the shadow powers? Was that shadow magic I used just now? But, how did I do it? It just felt so natural…._ It had been a long day, and all the events were starting to give him a headache.

He walked over to the wall, sinking down to the floor with his back resting against it. He just felt so tired all of a sudden. He propped up his knee, resting his arm on it while the other rested in his lap. Bowing his head, he wearily closed his eyes, sighing. He was asleep in minutes.

The next day, Yugi woke up nervous. Kenshin obviously wouldn't be going to school today, and neither he nor Yami had been able to come up with a believable reason as to why. They were going to have to tell Grandpa something, and that was their current problem.

\We could just say he's sick,\ Yugi suggested.

\\And what do we say when Grandpa tries to wake him up?\\ Yami countered. He didn't like shooting down all of Yugi's suggestions, but someone had to point out all the holes in the stories.

\You're right. Well, the only option left is to tell him the truth,\ Yugi said, sighing.

\\Or, you could feign ignorance,\\ Yami suggested. They both though about that for a minute.

\Nah, I'm not really all that good at lying,\ Yugi said, dismissing the idea.

\\Very well, aibou.\\

Yugi finished getting ready and went downstairs for breakfast.

Grandpa already had breakfast on the table. Yugi was more than a little surprised to see that there were only two places set on the table.

"Um, Grandpa? Shouldn't there be _three_ places on the table?" Yugi asked, a little nervously. Grandpa just shook his head.

"Yugi, I may be old, but I'm not senile. Do you think I didn't notice that Kenshin had the Millennium Mask? Although yesterday was the first time I had seen his yami. I went up to his room to wake him up this morning. It's obvious his soul is absent from his body. I'm assuming Yami banished the spirit of the Mask somewhere. My only question is where is Kenshin's soul?" Grandpa asked. He laughed at Yugi's astonished expression.

"B-but how did you find out about Battousai?" Yugi asked.

Grandpa laughed. "Battousai, is that his name? As for how I found out about him, do you honestly think I couldn't tell my own grandson—adopted or not—from someone else? Give me a little credit, Yugi," Grandpa said. Yugi couldn't help but stare.

\\Well, at least now we don't have to make up a believable story.\\

Yugi just sat at the table, still stunned that his Grandpa had known this whole time. Grandpa just laughed. He hadn't had a clue about any of this until he had overheard Yami talking about it last night. He was a little surprised at how easily Yugi had accepted his explanation. _Yugi really trusts me, _he thought, a pang of guilt going through him. He brushed the feeling off, and went back to his breakfast.

Ryou woke up to the incessant beeping of his alarm clock. Groggily, he reached out and flipped it off. He lay in bed a moment longer before throwing the covers off himself and sitting up. He stretched, yawning, before tiredly making his way down to the kitchen. He got a box of cereal out of the cupboard and placed it on the counter. Retrieving the milk from the refrigerator, he placed it next to the box of cereal. He grabbed a bowl from another cupboard, and a spoon from the drawer beneath it.

/Oh, so you're finally awake, I see./

Startled, Ryou dropped the bowl he was holding to the floor. It was a glass bowl and shattered on impact.

/I'm sorry, Ryou. I didn't mean to startle you,/ the voice said, apologetically.

"Who…?" The tendrils of sleep still hung about Ryou's mind, making his conscious thought a bit hazy. His eyes widened as the previous nights memories came flooding back to him. "Kenshin!"

/I really am sorry Ryou. I didn't mean to startle you,/ Kenshin repeated.

"It's alright. Bakura never talked to me so I wasn't expecting to hear someone in my mind," he explained as he cleaning up the broken bowl. He looked around.

"By the way, where are you?"

/Actually, I needed to discuss that with you,/ Kenshin said, sounding a bit reluctant.

"Oh? What is it?" Ryou asked, dumping the broken pieces of the bowl into the trashcan. Kenshin decided to take the direct approach. He appeared in front of Ryou.

The boy stepped back, startled. "Don't do that! At least give me some warning next time, okay?" It was then that Ryou's eyes traveled down to Kenshin's chest.

"Why are you wearing a replica of the Millennium Ring?" he asked, confused. Kenshin sighed. Apparently, Ryou didn't know what that meant.

/Ryou, do you remember yesterday when I took over your body the first time?/ Ryou nodded and Kenshin continued. /Well, there was a barrier surrounding you, protecting you from being possessed. However, the barrier didn't come from you—it came from the Ring. I had to enter through the Ring to take over your body. Apparently, the Ring doesn't like not having a soul residing in it,/ Kenshin said, a little bitterly. There is a limit to how many things can go wrong before it starts to affect your mood.

Ryou seemed to catch Kenshin's meaning. "So, you're basically saying that you are now the spirit of the Millennium Ring?" Ryou asked. Kenshin nodded. Ryou walked over and got another bowl from the cupboard and poured some cereal into it.

"Well, on the bright side, this doesn't affect any of your immediate plans. After all, you had planned to stay with me at least for a few more days. Although, you do seem to have a lot of bad things happening to you," he said, pouring the milk over his cereal.

Kenshin walked over and sat opposite Ryou. /You are right, on both accounts,/ Kenshin conceded.

They sat in silence while Ryou ate his breakfast. Kenshin broke the silence with a new question.

/What do you plan to do about Yami?/ Kenshin asked. Ryou looked up, a little confused by Kenshin's question.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

/Well, it's obvious that Yami has been looking for me. If you would like to inform him of my whereabouts, I will not stop you,/ Kenshin said.

Ryou paused to consider this. "Well, I don't think he should have told Joe, Tristan or anyone else about you. It's none of their business, and you obviously wanted to keep it a secret. I won't tell anyone about you," Ryou said, seriously. Kenshin allowed himself to smile.

/Arigato, Ryou./

Ryou, being distracted by actually having someone there he could talk to, ended up practically running to school. He walked in the classroom, a little out of breath, and looked for an empty seat. He found one that was about four seats away from Yugi, and sat down. He then scanned the classroom for Battousai. Ryou didn't see him there, so he turned in his seat to ask Yugi but one of the girls sitting next to the short boy beat Ryou to it.

"Hey Yugi, where's Kenshin? He didn't get hurt again, did he?!" she asked with more than just a passing interest. Ryou noted that more than a few of the girls seated around them had turned to hear Yugi's answer.

"No, he's just not feeling well today," Yugi replied. The girls all looked a little disappointed that Kenshin would not be in school today. Ryou laughed silently.

Kenshin was in the Ring, meditating to pass the time. Upon feeling Ryou's amusement, questioned him about it. /What's so funny, Ryou?/

Oh, nothing. It just appears that I'm not the only one with a fan club at this school anymore, Ryou answered, his voice filled with mirth. Kenshin was confused.

/What do you mean? What's a 'fan club'?/

Well, to put it simply, it is a group usually made up of the opposite sex that is infatuated with you for one reason or another, Ryou explained.

/Oh, I see. What did you mean when you said you're not the only one? Who has the other fan club?/

You, apparently.

/Me?! I haven't noticed any sort of fan club./

Well you just moved here, according to public knowledge, so they were probably giving you time to adjust to your new surroundings before they took action. Either that or they needed time to organize. Either way, you've got one now.

/How can you tell?/

Well, about half the girls in the classroom started getting depressed and sighing when Yugi told them that you weren't coming to school today.

/Battousai isn't coming to school today? Why not?/

I don't know. I didn't get a chance to ask Yu--

"Mr. Bakura!"

Ryou snapped out of his conversation with Kenshin. The entire classroom was looking at him. He felt his cheeks start to burn at all the unwanted attention.

"Please at least try to pay attention in class," the teacher admonished him, turning back to the board.

"Hai, sensei," Ryou answered, looking thoroughly humbled. The class continued rather uneventfully after that.

At lunch, Ryou got a chance to pose the question that had been bothering him all day. "Yugi, where's Kenshin?" he asked.

Yugi looked up from the conversation he'd been having with Tea. Joe and Tristan were too busy arguing over their food to notice.

"I don't know where Kenshin is, Ryou," he said seriously. Tea looked down at the table. Ryou was a little confused.

"What do you mean? Didn't he come home from practice yesterday? Or did he leave in the middle of the night or something?" Ryou asked, trying to think of why Battousai would do something like and where he would go. Yugi's answer interrupted Ryou's thoughts.

"Well, Battousai came back, but we don't know where Kenshin is," Yugi explained. Ryou panicked slightly.

Kenshin! I'm not supposed to know about this, but I'm a terrible liar! he said a little frantically.

/Would you like me to take over?/

Would you please?

No one at the table noticed the muted flash from under Ryou's shirt where the Millennium Ring hung. Similarly, the fact that Ryou's blue eyes took on a slightly more violet hue went undetected by the less than observant group seated around the table. Kenshin looked confused at Yugi's words.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you've lost me," he admitted.

Yugi elaborated. "Well, you remember when we used the Ring to find the Mask?" Kenshin nodded and made a mental note to talk to Ryou about that later. Yugi continued. "Well, it seems that Battousai had been in control when we saw him practicing. We don't know what happened, but somehow Battousai became lodged in Kenshin's body. He could even take off the Mask and still remain in control. So, Yami challenged him to a shadow game. It was set up as more of a lie detector test than anything else, but Battousai got hit with Yami's attack and is now confined in the Mask once again. We don't know where Kenshin is," Yugi explained, bringing his friend up to date.

Ryou didn't have to act surprised as he suddenly found himself in control of the body once again. Kenshin? he said, timidly.

As soon as Kenshin opened the link to respond, Ryou's mind was flooded with anger. His eyes widened at the intensity of it.

/I'm sorry, Ryou, but I am trying to not act irrationally. Having the object of my frustration within arms reach was too much of a temptation for me to withstand./ Kenshin's voice was clipped and business like. It held no emotion, but none was needed when Ryou could feel it in his mind. Kenshin closed the link as soon as he had finished speaking, releasing Ryou from the rage he had been feeling. Most of it, but not all. Ryou looked at Yugi.

"Why?" he asked, his eyes narrowed. Yugi was startled by the sudden change in Ryou. "What?" he asked, a little confused.

"Why did you feel the need to challenge Battousai to a shadow game? Those are serious, they shouldn't be taken so lightly. Why did you feel the need to step in at all? What proof did you have that Kenshin had been injured? Or that Battousai had done it or would even know anything about it?!" Ryou demanded, fueled by Kenshin's anger, mixed with his own.

It was right about here that Yami took over Yugi's body to defend himself. "I was doing what I believed to be right," Yami said, calmly.

This only added a little more fuel to the fire. "Doing what you believed to be right?! Do you think that makes it alright?! You are like a child. You don't have your memories or any of the wisdom that comes with experience. Shadow games are like a toy for you, just like a child playing with a loaded gun, only far more dangerous! Bakura believed that it was _his_ right to rule the world! He was doing what he thought was right! You're turning out to be just like him!" Ryou said, surprisingly managing to keep his voice within the normal range, so as to not attract any unwanted attention.

Unfortunately, Yami's action attracted more than enough attention. Accusing his of being just like the thief was about the most insulting thing that could be said to him. Without even thinking, he reached across the table and backhanded Ryou.

Ryou's head snapped to the side, his hair falling forward to cover his face. Tea gasped, and all conversation in the groups immediately around their table stopped, waiting to see what would happen next. Joey and Tristan were too surprised to react. Yami looked horrified at what he had just done.

"Ryou! I'm sorry! I didn't—I didn't mean to--" Ryou turned his head back to face him, a bruise already forming on his cheek. The disbelief and anger in his eyes effectively silenced Yami. Without a word, Ryou gathered his things and stood to leave the table. He turned back to Yami, a cold look in his eyes.

"I was right, Yami. You're jus like him," he said before walking away. A detached part of his mind noted that his voice had almost sounded as cold as when Kenshin challenged that gang the previous night. Almost.

Kenshin, upon feeling the myriad of strong emotions flowing from Ryou, decided to ask about it. /Ryou, what's wrong? Did something happen?/

Ryou sighed. I don't really want to talk about it.

/Perhaps I could look through your most recent memories?/ Kenshin suggested.

Sure, why not. Knock yourself out.

Although Kenshin was unfamiliar with the saying Ryou used, he took his response as a positive one. He looked through the memories and was angered by what he saw.

/He hit you?! Just because you spoke the truth?!/ Kenshin practically yelled, infuriated. He had been feeling rather protective of the boy since he had taken up residence inside the Ring. Ryou sighed.

It's not important, Kenshin. I deserved it, I shouldn't have said those things, Ryou said. He felt Kenshin's anger rise a little higher.

/That's nonsense! You have every right to state your opinion, especially when it's the truth! He had no right to touch you!/

Drop it Kenshin. You have bigger problems to worry about.

Now Kenshin sighed. /As you wish./ It was Ryou's body he was inhabiting, so Ryou had the final word. Kenshin would respect that. He decided that now was a good time to change the subject. /Ryou, I have something I would like to do that requires the use of a body. May I borrow yours, for a few moments?/

Yugi felt an immense amount of guilty radiating from Yami for the rest of the day, especially every time he looked at Ryou. A large, dark welt had appeared on Ryou's cheek and he had avoided the entire gang for the rest of the day. He would have to talk to Ryou later.

After the last class was over, Yugi went to his locker to put his books away. Surprisingly, there was a note inside addressed to Yami. He picked it up and read it's contents.

Yami, 

What gives you the right to play with other people's souls?! You may have once been called Pharaoh and decided who would live and who would die, but that was long ago. The times have changed and you are no longer in command. I understand that you will step in when your friends are threatened. That is acceptable. However, not once have either Battousai or myself threatened anyone close to you. Yet, you still challenged Battousai to a shadow game. You can't stand the fact that something happened that doesn't involve (or revolve around) you. So, you banished him from my body. You had no right to interfere in our affairs. I've overlooked each and every instance you've done so these past few weeks because we were guests in your home—in your world. However, you've gone too far this time. I can no longer stand idly by and allow you to do as you please. You have been warned. I suggest you stop before you dig your grave any deeper than it already is.

Hitokiri Battousai,

Kenshin Himura


	38. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: See chapters 1-18. It's there in every single one. 

**Chapter 38**

Kaiba blinked in annoyance as the sunlight streamed in through his window. After several futile attempts to go back to sleep, he decided to get up and start the day. He rolled onto his side, preparing to throw the covers off when he noticed a lump in the bed beside him. He pulled the blanket back to reveal Mokuba, still sleeping curled up beside him. Sometime during the night the boy had left the lonely confines of his own room to seek comfort in his brother's. 

Kaiba gaze softened as he looked at his brother. _He must have been having nightmares,_ Kaiba thought. He pulled the blankets back up over Mokuba and got off the other side of the bed. He walked over to his closet and picked out the clothes he would be wearing for the day. He then proceeded to shower and get dressed. Mokuba was just waking up as Kaiba walked back into his room. 

"Hey, squirt," Kaiba said, smiling at his brother. Mokuba looked up and returned the smile. Noticing where he was, Mokuba looked a little embarrassed. 

"Sorry, Seto. I was scared—" Mokuba began, trying to explain what had brought him there. Kaiba just brushed it off. 

"Don't worry about it, Mokuba. That was quite an unsettling experience you had yesterday," Kaiba said. Mokuba looked away as he remembered the source of his nightmares. Kaiba walked over to the bed and sat down by the smaller boy. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, softly. 

Mokuba's eyes started filling with tears as he remembered everything he had seen. Kaiba put his arm around Mokuba's shoulders, offering his silent comfort. Mokuba broke down and started crying again, clinging to Kaiba as he recounted everything he had seen and heard in the virtual reality system. Kaiba listened, holding his little brother and gently rocking him back and forth as the younger boy described what he had seen. 

It took Mokuba about a half hour to tell Kaiba about everything. Kaiba listened silently, never interrupting his little brother once. After Mokuba was finished, he seemed to feel better although he still didn't want to be too far away from Kaiba. 

They went down and had breakfast and Kaiba instructed one of the servants to call both of their schools and inform them that neither would be in attendance toady. Kaiba and Mokuba ate in silence. 

_Blast! I had wanted to talk to Kenshin today. Oh well, it can wait until tomorrow, I suppose,_ Kaiba thought, brooding. Mokuba didn't seem to notice. He was still a little upset by what he had witnessed, but re-telling his experience to Kaiba had really helped. Kaiba had known that it would and that was why he had asked Mokuba about it. Mokuba was feeling much better. He was not yet secure enough to go to school again, but he would be tomorrow. Today he just felt safe in his brother's presence. 

~*~ 

Kaiba sat at his desk, working on his computer. He needed to stay home with Mokuba today, but that wasn't going to stop him from getting some work done. He needed to figure out what had gone wrong with his virtual reality system. He was going over all the systems, but couldn't find the glitch. There had been an entire other world programmed into the system somehow, but he couldn't find any record of it what so ever. He was starting to lose patience when he came across the results of the system check he had run pervious to Mokuba's entry into the system. Having nothing better to do, he read through it. It indicated that all of the systems had been checked and were free of any glitches. There was one little note at the bottom that caught Kaiba's eye. 

Number of Occupants in Virtual Reality System at Time of Check: 1 

Kaiba re-read it to make sure he hadn't read it wrong. There was one person in the system when it had been checked. _But that impossible,_ Kaiba thought, _Kenshin and I were the only ones to enter the system before the check and I ordered the systems checked immediately after we were through. Mokuba was the next person to enter, but that was after the check had already been completed…._

Kaiba brought up the log in sheet of the virtual reality system. It recorded who entered and left the system, and at what times they did so. There were only three names. 

Himura, Kenshin: In: 4:37 pm, Sat. Out: 6:42 pm, Yesterday 

Kaiba, Seto: In: 4:38 pm, Sat Out: 5:03 pm, Sat 

Kaiba, Mokuba: In: 1:59 pm, Yesterday Out: 6:43 pm, Yesterday 

It took Kaiba a few minutes to realize that the time Kenshin left the system was incorrect. _He left right after I did,_ Kaiba though, confused. _But, then again, it would make sense. Both Mokuba and I saw Kenshin in there. Also, that name—Mokuba said that Kenshin had screamed the name 'Tomoe' after he had killed the woman. From what I saw, her death was an accident. Kenshin seemed pretty upset about killing her, too. When we were in the hospital, he told me that Tomoe was his wife. He also said that a murderer killed her. Could he have been referring to himself? But what about that other name he said—Battousai? Could that really have been one of Kenshin's memories? But he wasn't in the system!_ Kaiba thought, frustrated that his thoughts were leading him no where. Then, a thought struck him. 

_Wait—what if Kenshin has another person inside him, like Yugi? Yugi's alter ego is somehow connected to that puzzle he always wears around his neck. Kenshin also wears a pendant that looks like it came from the same set. If Kenshin also has an alter ego, then is it possible that while Kenshin was in the system, his alter ego left with his body? His mind would have been trapped in the system. Could he have been reliving his memories in there? Is that what we saw?_ Kaiba shook his head. Pretty soon he would start believing that he really was the reincarnation of some priest that lived in Ancient Egypt. He laughed at his own foolishness. 

He was about to go back to looking for other explanations when he remembered something from last night. 

*Flashback* 

/What's going on?/ Kaiba heard a familiar voice say. He listened, trying to tell whether it was his imagination or not. He the looked to the side and saw a transparent Kenshin standing in front of the door. The red head looked a little confused and was staring at his hand. 

/I'm transparent, and I just move right through anything I try to touch. It sounds to me like I've become a ghost./ Kenshin snapped his head around, looking for something. 

/WHERE'S MY BODY?!/ he yelled in alarm. /If Battousai has gotten me killed…/ he trailed off into a growl. Kaiba watched as Kenshin took off running, disappearing through the door. 

*End Flashback* 

Kaiba knew he hadn't imagined it. He had seen the security tapes of Kenshin running off his property. Kaiba put a hand to his forehead, taking his earlier guesses into serious consideration. Oh yes, he was going to have a long talk with Kenshin tomorrow. 

~*~ 

Yugi walked home from school alone. Yami was silent, still guilt-ridden for his actions earlier that day towards Ryou. Yugi also noticed that the spirit was starting to become depressed. 

\Yami?\ Yugi asked, tentatively. If the spirit didn't want to talk about it, then Yugi would respect his wishes. 

\\He was right,\\ Yami replied. Yugi took this as a sign he wanted to talk and complied. 

\What do you mean?\ 

\\Ryou. He was right. I had no right to interfere,\\ Yami said. 

\But, you were only trying to help,\ Yugi said, defending him. 

\\It was not my place. Shadow games are not to be taken lightly. I should have known better. Ryou was right—I have the power but lack the wisdom to use it correctly. I think that may have been why I hit him. Deep down I knew he was speaking the truth, but I couldn't accept it—couldn't accept that I was wrong. Oh, I am such a fool!\\ 

\Yami, that's not true and you know it. You've saved me and my friends lots of times with shadow games! I think you used your power correctly in each of those situations. If you hadn't done anything, I wouldn't be here. Maybe it was a mistake to challenge Battousai to a shadow game, but he _did_ accept your challenge. Part of the blame is his. You were just trying to help Kenshin in the only way you knew how. As for having the wisdom to use your power—well, part of wisdom is being able to recognize and learn from your mistakes,\ Yugi said. He could tell his words had made Yami feel a better. He didn't doubt himself quite as much anymore. 

\\Thank you, aibou.\\ 

\No problem.\ 

\\I just hope Ryou is as forgiving as you.\\ 

They walked the rest of the way home in silence. 

~*~ 

Later that evening, another problem arose in the Mutou household. Grandpa realized it while he was making dinner. He called Yugi into the kitchen. 

"What is it, Grandpa?" Yugi asked, coming through the doorway. 

Grandpa decided to get straight to the point. "Do you know how long before Kenshin's soul will be back in his body?" Grandpa asked, seriously. 

Yugi averted his gaze. "No, Grandpa. I really have no idea. We don't even know what happened to Kenshin," Yugi explained. 

Grandpa turned back to his cooking. "Oh dear, that may present a problem," he said, more to himself than to Yugi. Yugi tilted his head to the side. 

"Why? I mean, I know the sooner we get Kenshin back the better, but…." 

"Well, in case you two haven't noticed," Grandpa said, including Yami in the conversation, "Kenshin is skinny enough to be considered under-nourished as it is. His body has not eaten anything in the past twenty-four hours, at least. How long do you think he can go without eating?" 

Yugi blinked. He hadn't even considered that aspect of it. "Oh," he said, "I see what you mean." 

Grandpa continued. "We can't try to feed him ourselves, he'll probably choke. We could take him to the hospital—they can feed him intravenously. However, they'll want to know what happened to put him in a comatose state with no apparent injuries—not to mention the hospital bill." 

"Or Kenshin's temper when he wakes up _again_ in the hospital," Yugi added. Kenshin was going to be upset enough with them as it was. 

Everyone was silent as they contemplated the best way to go about solving this problem. Suddenly, Yugi had an idea. 

"I know! We can have Yami possess Kenshin!" he cried, happily. Grandpa looked at him skeptically. 

"Are you sure that would work?" 

"Sure! I'll just put the Millennium Puzzle around Kenshin's neck, and Yami should be able to take over his body!" Yugi said, excitedly. Yami wasn't too thrilled with the idea. 

\\Aibou, it's a good idea, but I don't think Kenshin would be too happy with me taking over his body, in light of recent events,\\ Yami argued. 

Yugi would have none of it, however. \Yami, it's either this or he goes back to the hospital. _This_ time, he has no injury so he'll probably have to stay longer because they'll want to run tests to find out why he was in a coma. I'm sure he would prefer you feeding him to another vacation in the hospital,\ Yugi said. Yami couldn't argue with that logic. 

Having received Yami's permission, Yugi looked at his Grandpa. "Well?" he asked. Grandpa paused while he considered the idea, before finally nodding his head. "Might as well give it a try. Dinner is ready, anyway," he said, taking the food out to the table. 

"I'll be right back with Kenshin!" Yugi called, already running up the stairs. Yugi reached the top of the stairs, and entered Kenshin's room. Not surprisingly, the red head had not moved from the bed. Yugi walked over to his prone form. 

\Alright, Yami. I'm putting the Puzzle on Kenshin. Wait a few seconds and then try to take over the body,\ Yugi said. He didn't hear Yami's reply, if there was one, because he already had the Puzzle around Kenshin's neck. He waited a few seconds, wondering if his idea would work. There was a flash of light from the Puzzle, and Kenshin opened his eyes. Instead of the warm lavender Yugi was accustomed to, Kenshin's eyes had more of a crimson hue. Kenshin blinked. 

"Well, Yugi, it appears that it worked," Yami said through Kenshin's mouth. He sat up and stretched. Yugi looked at him curiously. 

"Laying in one position for a long period of time makes a body very stiff," Yami explained. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Kenshin was a little taller than Yugi, so Yami took a few experimental steps to help him adjust to the height difference. When he felt he was ready, he turned and nodded to Yugi. They both went downstairs. 

~*~ 

Grandpa had just finished setting the table when the two boys came down. "Oh, I see you were able to get Kenshin up," he said. 

"Yup! It worked, alright!" Yugi said, sitting down in his place. 

Yami was silent, used to listening to Yugi and Grandpa talk without being part of the conversation. He was also busy admiring Kenshin's body. He had never noticed it before, but when he walked his limbs seemed to move with a grace that was alien to even one such as him, who had been brought up as Pharaoh. He had also never realized how strong Kenshin was. His lithe body hid his muscles very well, but Yami could feel their strength under his control. And the amount of energy Kenshin had was something else all together. 

Grandpa dished out the food and everyone began eating. Yami was surprised to note that while Kenshin's body hadn't eaten in over a day, he was not all that hungry. He forced himself to finish everything Grandpa had put on his plate, and declined when asked if he wanted more. It was proper etiquette to wait until everyone was finished before leaving the table, so Yami waited. He strummed his fingers on the tabletop as he waited. That soon got on Grandpa's nerves, and he asked Yami to stop. Yami started bouncing his leg instead. However, the table was small, and he kept hitting the leg causing smaller items to be knocked over. Grandpa asked him to stop that as well. Yami became determined to sit still for the duration of the meal, but he couldn't find a position that was comfortable for more than a minute. Thus, he was constantly shifting. Grandpa was starting to get annoyed. 

"Yami, what's wrong? Why are you fidgeting so much?" Yugi asked, noticing his Grandpa's darkening face. 

"It's this body! I honestly cannot fathom how that child can sit still! His body has an excessive amount of energy that no one person ought to be allowed to have in one body!" Yami said, trying to restrain his movement for Grandpa's sake. And failing miserably. 

Yugi, who had just finished eating, decided that it might be a good idea to give Kenshin's body some exercise. "Hey Grandpa, would you mind if me and Yami went down to the track? You know, let Yami burn off some of Kenshin's energy before leaving his body," Yugi asked. Grandpa seemed a little relieved. 

"Yes, Yugi, that sounds like a wonderful idea. Just don't be too long in getting back," he said. 

After putting their dishes in the sink, Yugi and Yami started walking to the track. Yami had never really enjoyed physical excursion, so he found it curious that he was looking forward to running at the track. It wasn't long before they reached the school and walked down to the football field. Yugi sat on the grass while Yami headed straight for the track. 

Yami started running slowly at first to become accustomed to the differences between Yugi's body and Kenshin's. However, he couldn't run slowly for very long. Kenshin's body, having just a small taste of freedom, was begging for more. Yami couldn't resist the urge to speed up and soon found himself running at speeds that he had previously thought to be humanly impossible. He had never realized how addicting running could be. It was as if he was suddenly free from bonds he hadn't even realized were restraining him. 

On an impulse, Yami decided to test Kenshin agility. As he ran, he darted in and out around imaginary objects. He was a little startled to see how well Kenshin's body could change direction without losing any momentum in the process. Curious, he wondered how fast he could stop running. He tried to stop, Kenshin's reflexes taking over as he did. His leg went out in front of him, bracing himself against his momentum, while his body leaned back to help himself stop. Yami stood there for a moment, surprised. He had stopped almost immediately. Yami shook his head, wondering what other things Kenshin's body was capable of. 

His sharp hearing picked up the sound of someone standing up and starting to walk towards him on the grass. Curious, Yami turned to see who it was. It was Yugi. Yami was astonished, however, to see that Yugi was across the football field. It was too far away for a normal person to hear those sounds, yet Yami heard them clearly. Truly, Kenshin's body was amazing. 

"It's getting late. Are you ready to go back?" Yugi asked as he approached Yami. The latter nodded, and they both turned and walked home. 

Grandpa nodded to them as they came back, and they went back up to Kenshin's room. Yami laid down on the bed and went back into his soul room. Yugi waited a minute or two to make sure Yami was back in the Puzzle before he started to remove it. He stopped when Kenshin opened his eyes. 

"Yugi, I can't enter the Puzzle," Yami said, his voice confused. "Every time I try, I just end up in what I assume to be Kenshin's soul room." 

Yugi's eyes widened at Yami's statement. He considered the problem before he made a suggestion. "Maybe taking the Puzzle off will take you out of his body?" 

Yami nodded his consent and allowed Yugi to remove the Puzzle. Nothing happened. They waited another minute in case it was a delayed reaction. Still nothing. Yami groaned, letting his head fall into his hands. 

"Kenshin is going to kill me." 

"Well, at least now we know how Battousai got in control of the body." 

~*~ 


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: If I owned either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!" then you would be seeing this in the manga or anime as opposed to ff net. 

**Chapter 39**

Tuesday morning, Yugi woke up early. Thinking over the events of the previous night, he decided to go wake up Yami. Opening the door to Kenshin's room, he was surprised to see the red head sitting on the bed with his back leaning against the wall. He didn't move as Yugi entered the room. 

"Yami?" Yugi asked, not sure if he was awake or not. Getting no response, he concluded that Yami was indeed asleep. Deciding to wake him up, Yugi gingerly reached out his hand to shake him. 

Inches before Yugi's hand would have touched him Kenshin's arm shot out, knocking Yugi's hand aside and grabbing his throat. In one fluid motion, he spun around bringing Yugi with him and slammed the smaller boy against the wall. His fore arm was pressed against Yugi's throat, cutting off his air before Kenshin's eyes even opened. 

Yami's groggy mind tried to make sense of what his mind was telling him. Yugi was in front of him, apparently being hurt by someone. This caused Yami's anger to flare up, whoever hurt his aibou had to answer to him. With his mind more alert, he tried to see who was hurting his aibou. That was when he noticed it was _his_ arm that was currently choking Yugi. His eyes widened as he quickly pulled back, allowing Yugi to fall on the bed coughing. 

"I-I'm sorry, Yugi. I don't know what came over me, I-" Yami stammered, horrified at what he had just done. As soon as Yugi was able to breathe again, he smiled at Yami. 

"That's ok. It was just Kenshin's reflexes. I guess I didn't learn well enough the first time. Neither of you two like to be woken up!" Yugi said, attempting to make a joke to lighten the mood. Yami was torn between looking upset with his actions and relieved that Yugi had forgiven him. Yugi decided to change the subject. 

"Why were you sleeping sitting up, anyway?" Yugi asked, remembering Yami's position when he had first entered the room. Yami looked a little confused. 

"I'm not sure. Last night, I couldn't get comfortable lying down, so I sat up for awhile. I guess I must have fallen asleep," Yami admitted. 

"Well, Grandpa should have breakfast ready now. Let's go get something to eat," Yugi said, leading the way out of the room. Yami followed him. 

Grandpa wasn't surprised to see Kenshin come down stairs for breakfast. However, he was a little surprised when he noticed that Yugi was still wearing the Millennium Puzzle. Grandpa looked at Kenshin shrewdly, deciding if perhaps his soul had come back during the night. Kenshin returned his gaze, shaking his head sadly. At Grandpa's confused look, Yugi explained. 

"Yami got stuck in Kenshin's body last night, Grandpa," Yugi said, taking a seat at the table. "He can't return to the Puzzle." 

"Oh dear. This may present a problem. What will Kenshin do when his soul comes back and he can't enter his body?" Grandpa mused, a little worried. Yami's gaze shifted to the floor in shame, even though it wasn't really his fault. 

"Don't worry, Grandpa. It'll work out in the end. It always does! We'll figure out something," Yugi said, reassuringly. No one said anything during breakfast, each lost in his own thoughts. Grandpa finally broke the silence. 

"Well, Yami, since you're now in control of Kenshin's body, you will be accompanying Yugi to school today. After all, we can't have Kenshin flunking out simply because his soul is missing, can we?" Grandpa said, smiling at Yami's look that was akin to shock. 

Although it was a logical enough request, Grandpa had his own reasons for wanting Yami to go to school. Yami had so much energy last night, Grandpa didn't even want to think about being cooped up in the shop with him all day long. 

~*~ 

Ryou woke up to hear voices conversing in his head. Apparently, Kenshin and Battousai had been awake and talking for awhile. 

/I'm sorry. I didn't mean to distract you. Although, if you didn't always have to wait until the very last minute to evade, you wouldn't have been hit by Yami's attack,/ Kenshin said half apologizing, half antagonizing. 

//If you could improve your timing, we could have forgone this entire fiasco altogether,// Battousai grumbled. How Kenshin could stay in such high spirits when everything was going wrong was beyond him. 

/Yes, well, Kaiba said that in order to get out of the system, one has to_ die in_ the system. Apparently, pain is not supposed to be able to be felt, but I'm assuming that I could feel it because my mind was in the computer, thanks to you leaving with my body./ 

//I panicked! They drugged you and I couldn't sense you at all! I tried to enter your soul room, but it was locked! I did the only logical thing I could think of-- you were in danger, so I removed you from the danger,// Battousai argued, defending himself. 

/You may have removed my body from danger, but you trapped my mind!/ Kenshin wasn't really anger, he just like to get Battousai all riled up. It was extremely easy to do. 

//I didn't know it would do that! I didn't know you _could_ do that! What happened in there, anyway? You say you had to die to get out?// 

There was a pause. /I'd rather not discuss that,/ Kenshin said quietly. 

Ryou didn't like to eavesdrop, so he decided to make his presence known during the break in their conversation. My my, you two are up early, he commented. 

/Oh, good morning, Ryou. I'm sorry, did we wake you?/ Kenshin asked, apologetically. 

Ryou shook his head, even though he knew Kenshin couldn't see him. No, I need to get up and get ready for school anyway. 

Ryou got up and started to get ready. So, what were you two talking about? he asked. 

//Don't worry about, it doesn't concern you.// 

/Battousai…/ Kenshin's voice held a warning in it. 

Well, Kenshin is currently trapped in _my_ Millennium Item. Anything that concerns him now, by default, concerns me. You're just being overprotective. I think you're really a nice person, but you don't want everyone to know that so you act tough. Oh, I'm not saying that you're weak, I know that you can be downright merciless if the occasion calls for it. But, deep down, you're a nice guy. 

/He got you there!/ Kenshin said, laughing. 

Battousai was not amused. //And just what, pray tell, gave you that idea?// he asked. He didn't like people being able to see through his façade quite so easily. 

Ryou shrugged. I used think you were cold and heartless, like everyone else does, until Bakura stole the Mask. Just the way you acted towards me, like trying to make sure you didn't scare me and whatnot. And then when you asked, actually _asked_ my permission to take over my body. It's just a little thing, really, but I had never had anyone ask before. Bakura just took over when he felt like it. It made me realize that there was a lot more to you than everyone thinks. Don't worry, I won't damage your reputation by telling anyone, Ryou said, chuckling a little. 

//Hmph.// Ryou was actually starting to remind Battousai a little of Kenshin. He was starting to talk back to him without fear. He was also proving his trustworthiness by keeping their secrets. Battousai was starting to like this kid, although he'd never admit to it. 

Sensing that part of the conversation was over, Kenshin answered Ryou's previous question. /Battousai and I were just exchanging information as to what has happened since we've been separated. Apparently, shortly after I entered Kaiba's virtual reality system, Battousai left with my body, leaving my mind and my soul in the system. We think that because my soul was absent from my body, his soul was used to replace it, since he was unable to return to the Mask. Yami found out he was in control of my body and challenged him to a shadow game. Unfortunately, he sensed me when I came out of the virtual reality system and, thus distracted, was unable to dodge Yami's attack in time. He was sent back into the Mask afterwards,/ Kenshin summarized. 

Oh. So, how did Battousai get stuck in your body, exactly? Ryou asked. 

Battousai decided to answer that one. //When Kenshin entered the virtual reality system, Kaiba had to drug us first. As soon as the drugs wore off, I left Kaiba's mansion. I think that because Kenshin's soul was absent, I was used as a replacement when I possessed his body,// Battousai explained. 

Well, according to that logic, then all we have to do is put the Millennium Ring on Kenshin's body and let Kenshin possess himself. Then, his body should automatically pull him out of the Ring. Is that correct? 

//As far as I know, yes. Bare in mind that this is only a guess, but it seems to be the best one so far.// 

Well, after school I'll go over to Yugi's house, Ryou decided. 

/That's all well and good, but you might want to look at the time,/ Kenshin said. 

Ryou looked at the clock on the wall. Oh no, I'm going to be late! 

Ryou ran around the house, trying to hurry and finish getting ready. As he was about to run out the door, Kenshin's voice stopped him. 

/Ryou would you like me to run to school? It will be a lot faster, and you'll even be there a few minutes early,/ Kenshin offered. 

Ryou thought about it for a second, then nodded. It would be greatly appreciated, he replied. 

The Ring flashed, although it couldn't be seen under Ryou's shirt, and Kenshin took control of the body. Pausing only to get his bearings, he took off running towards the school. 

Kenshin came to a stop when he was about a block away, looking around. Ryou was a little confused by his behavior. What's wrong? Why did you stop? Ryou asked. 

/I sensed something that was not quite right,/ Kenshin answered distractedly. 

What? What's not right? Ryou pressed. If Kenshin was going to make him late for school, he wanted to know why. 

/It's…Yami. Normally I can sense him within the Puzzle, but his aura is muted unless he is in control of the body. Then Yugi's aura is the one that is muted. Now, however, they are both strong, as if they are both in control of the body. But, that can't be./ Kenshin paused for a few seconds. /Wait! They are coming from two different places! Almost like…/ Kenshin peeked around the corner. 

Coming up the street, was Tea, Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and _Kenshin_.The new spirit of the Ring cast out his senses towards his original body, and got the answer he'd been dreading. He turned back ad continued to school at a quickened pace so he would arrive ahead of them. 

Battousai inquired as to Kenshin's anger that he was feeling, through their link. //Kenshin? What's wrong? Why are you so upset all of a sudden?// 

Kenshin came to a stop right inside the school courtyard. /Yami has apparently decided that my body is at his disposal. He's using it to come to school,/ Kenshin said, darkly. 

//What?!// 

But, if he's in control of your body, then- Ryou stopped, realizing what that meant. 

/That's right. Now, we have to get him _out_ of there before I can go back _in_./ 

Kenshin blocked Battousai out of his mind as the latter started cursing rather colorfully. 

~*~ 

Tea, Tristan and Joey were all surprised to see Kenshin walking to school with Yugi, until Yugi explained about Yami getting stuck in the body. The reached the classroom, and walked inside. Yami saw Ryou sitting across the room, reading a book. Yami felt guilty as he saw the mark he had left on the white haired boy's cheek. He started towards Ryou, to apologize about his behavior the previous day, when someone grabbed his shoulder. 

Without even thinking about it, Yami rammed his right elbow backwards and was rewarded with a grunt it connected with someone's stomach. Without giving them time to recover, he dropped down and swung his leg out behind him, knocking the person off their feet. Yami quickly stood back up and turned around while he still had the advantage. Lying on the ground where he had fallen, clutching his stomach, was a very upset Kaiba. Yami's eyes widened as he realized what he had just done. 

Kaiba scowled at him as he slowly stood up. Yami regained his composure and apologized. "I'm sorry, Kaiba. You startled me," he said, bowing in way of apology. 

Kaiba just glared back at him. Normally, he would have hit Kenshin back, but a crowd was starting to form so he put his battle rage aside for later. He looked at Kenshin indifferently. "We need to talk. Come to my place after school," he said before walking to the back of the class and sitting in his normal seat. 

Meanwhile, across the room, Ryou was speechless after watching what had just taken place. Kenshin was laughing hysterically. Battousai was confused. 

//What? What's so funny?// Battousai demanded. It was starting to get annoying not being able to see anything. 

/Yami--can't--reflexes--/ Kenshin managed to get out in between his laughing. Unfortunately, that was about all he could get out, so Ryou had to translate. He explained what had just happened to Battousai. Not surprisingly, Battousai found it as funny as Kenshin did. 

//Yami did that to Kaiba?!// he said, still laughing. While Ryou did find the situation a little humorous, he thought they were blowing it out of proportion. 

Come on, guys, it wasn't that funny. Besides, I thought you were still upset about Yami taking over Kenshin's body? Ryou asked. 

/Ryou, Ryou, Ryou. Consider this payback, of a sort. You see, my body has very finely tuned reflexes. This is not a problem for me as I am used to dealing with them and I can tell who is around me because of my ki sensing abilities. Yami, on the other hand, does not have either of those advantages. Thus, he doesn't know how to stop my reflexes. And, judging by the distance Yugi put between Yami and himself, plus the sympathetic glances he keeps sending Kaiba, I'll bet the he woke Yami up this morning. And I am relatively sure that it was not a fun experience,/ Kenshin said, still laughing a little bit. 

Well, that means we need to get your body back as soon as possible, right? Ryou asked, hopefully. He didn't want to accidentally bump into Yami and end up in the hospital because of Kenshin's reflexes. 

/I don't know. I'm toying with the idea of letting him keep it for while. What do you think, Battousai?/ Kenshin asked, nonchalantly. 

//I think it would definitely prove to be very entertaining,// Battousai agreed. 

/Yes, and I do believe a little retribution is in order. Oh, sitting still in class is going to murderous for him!/ Kenshin said, both he and Battousai laughing again. 

Ryou sighed. You two are hopeless. 

~*~ 

Kenshin's prediction came true. Yami was fidgeting the entire time, he just could not sit still. He managed to contain it enough when the teacher was looking that he didn't get in trouble, but he knew people had noticed. Yugi kept looking at him sympathetically, Kaiba was glaring at him suspiciously and Ryou was trying hard to contain his laughter. 

By the time class was over, Yami practically bolted for the door. He didn't know what he was going to do, but he had to do something. That particular problem was solved for him, as it was his misfortune to run into some of Kenshin's fan club (not literally run into them). There were about four girls waiting outside the classroom. They all ran over to him the second they saw him. 

"Kenshin! Oh, we were worried when we heard that you were sick yesterday. Do you feel better now?" one of them asked. 

"Yes, I'm much better today, thank you for asking," Yami replied, a little uncertainly. _What do these girls want?_ he thought. 

"Oh good! Well, I was kinda wondering, if you weren't busy on Friday, maybe we could-" another one began. 

Yami could tell where this was leading. He didn't want to tell her yes or no, this was Kenshin's body after all. He didn't want to take any part in the red heads love life. That would be up to Kenshin. So, when faced with a situation where you can't win no matter what you say, what do you do? You run. And that's exactly what Yami did. 

"I'm sorry, but I've really got to be going now!" he said before he took off running down the walkway. 

The girls, however, were not to be deterred. They started chasing after him. "Wait! If Friday's not a good time for you, how about Saturday?!" 

Yami kept on running, no where near as fast as Kenshin was capable (he didn't want the boy to be labeled a freak in school), but enough to keep the girls from catching him. He became curious when he heard more footsteps join the original ones chasing him. He glanced over his shoulder and almost tripped in surprise. Where there had been only four girls before, now there was an entire mob chasing him. 

Deciding that drastic times call for drastic measures, Yami increased his speed and shot around the next corner. Fortunately, there was a boys bathroom conveniently located right there, and he slipped inside. The door closed right as he heard the mob turn the corner. He listened as they all ran past his hiding place and kept going. Once he was sure they were gone, he cautiously made his way back to the classroom. 

Ryou, at Kenshin's request, had stood in the doorway after Yami had left. Thus conveniently located, he was able to witness all of the events from a relatively safe location. He would occasionally lose sight of the mob whenever Yami turned a corner, but saw as Yami hid in the boy's bathroom. Kenshin and Battousai, who was getting the commentary from Ryou, were both in hysterics. Even Ryou couldn't help but laugh at the situation Yami had gotten himself into. Ryou went back to his seat as Yami started his cautious approach to the classroom. 

Poor Yami. I should have told him that you should never run from fan girls-- they chase you and the rest of the club will join in. Although, it's nice to see someone _else_ with these problems for a change, Ryou said, chuckling a bit. 

Yami looked at the laughing boy a little suspiciously when he re-entered the classroom, but Ryou just smiled innocently. After all, it wasn't like he had sent the fan girls after Yami. 

So, how long are you going to let Yami keep the body? Ryou inquired. 

By that time, Kenshin and Battousai's laughter had both died down. /I'll have to get it back soon,/ Kenshin said. 

//Do you have a plan to get it back?// Battousai inquired. 

/Well, I do have one idea, but I'm not sure if I can make it work. I won't know until I try,/ Kenshin admitted. 

So, how much longer are you going to let him keep the body? Ryou asked. 

//Oh, I'm sure he can keep it until the end of the day, right Kenshin?//Battousai said. He was enjoying watching Yami suffer because of Kenshin's body. 

Kenshin smiled mentally. /I don't see why not. After all, I still need to get a few more items./ 

~*~ 


	40. Chapter 40

Disclaimer: If I owned either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!" then you would be seeing this in the manga or anime as opposed to ff net. 

**Chapter 40**

The end of the school day couldn't come soon enough for Yami. It had just been one problem after another all day long. He was so distracted that he had forgotten Kaiba's 'request' to meet with him after school. It wasn't until the limo pulled up beside him and Yugi as they were walking home that he remembered. 

"Kenshin Himura. Mr. Kaiba wishes to speak with you," the driver said, making it obvious that Yugi was not invited. 

Yami sighed. He really didn't want to talk to Kaiba, but after his behavior earlier that day, he felt obligated hear what Kaiba had to say. He turned to Yugi. 

"I'll be home later. I need to see what Kaiba wants," he said, inadvertently asking Yugi's permission to leave. The smaller boy nodded his head, and Yami got into the car. 

When they arrived, Yami was escorted up to Kaiba's office where the CEO was waiting. Kaiba waited until his staff left before speaking. 

"That was quite a stunt you pulled," he said, his voice low. 

Yami thought he was referring to the incident earlier that day. "You just caught me by surprise. I already apologized for hitting you." 

"That wasn't what I was talking about!" Kaiba snapped. Yami looked at him confused before the memory set in. _That's right, _he thought, _Kenshin had gone over to Kaiba's for something on Saturday. Kenshin said Kaiba wanted to show him a new invention of his. Maybe that's what Kaiba is referring to?_

"I want to know how you managed to program an entire world in the system and then have it erased as soon as you left? You covered your tracks well. The only evidence we have that it even existed are the tapes that recorded your every move. You see, I recorded our duel. It was so I could study the fight later. It was set up so that it would stop recording when you left the system. Tell me, Kenshin. How? How did you do that? How did you manage to stay in the system when you were no where on the premises?" Kaiba asked, his voice containing barely concealed anger. 

Yami was confused. _What is Kaiba talking about?_ he wondered. He decided that the truth would be his best option right now. "Kaiba, I really have no idea as to what you are talking about," Yami replied, calmly. 

Kaiba sneered. "Then, perhaps we should review the tapes, to help jog your memory," he said in a condescending tone. He stood and walked out the door, not checking to see if Kenshin was following. He had thought Kenshin might deny it on the off chance that Kaiba didn't have any proof. So, Kaiba had set up everything before hand. He walked into a different room, turned on the TV and hit play on the VCR. Yami watched everything that Kenshin had done in the virtual world after leaving the shack in the mountains. He knew Kaiba was watching his every move, so he tried to remain impassive. However, he wasn't prepared for what he saw. 

He witnessed Kenshin fighting people who skill was below his, but Kenshin was obviously not at his best. Yami watched as Kenshin fought his hardest, trying desperately to gain victory over his opponent, but was beaten back no matter how hard he tried. Yami cringed as he witnessed the beating Kenshin had taken. 

The last time Kenshin stood up, it was obvious that both he and his opponent knew this would be the last attack. Yami stared at the screen, almost afraid to see the final outcome. Right before they reached each other, another figure stepped in between them. Yami watched, transfixed, as Kenshin inadvertently killed them both. By the way Kenshin reacted, it was obvious he knew the woman and loved her dearly. Yami could practically feel Kenshin's sorrow and anger at what he had done. 

Suddenly, there appeared someone else on the screen. Kenshin seemed to know him as well. He stood and faced this new person, as if waiting for something. Yami's eyes widened in horror as the man's blade ripped through Kenshin's body, mercilessly. Yami watched as Kenshin died right before his eyes. The screen went black, and Yami turned his angry eyes upon Kaiba. 

"_What did you do to Kenshin_?!" Yami demanded. 

Kaiba was a little confused. Kenshin had seemed like he was seeing this for the very first time. And then referring to himself in third person? It didn't make any sense. Unless… 

"Are you Battousai, per chance?" Kaiba asked, his voice calm. Yami blinked, startled. He had not been expecting that. His eyes narrowed. 

"How do you know of Battousai? What do you know about him?" Yami asked suspiciously. Kenshin hadn't been exactly forth coming with that information, so Yami wasn't sure how Kaiba had found out. 

"You've mentioned that name twice. Once was when you were sleeping in the hospital and right before you left here Sunday night," Kaiba said, a little guardedly. He had brought Kenshin over to get some answers, but all he was getting was more questions. 

"Sunday night? That's impossible! Battousai didn't come over here Sunday night! Unless…" Yami trailed off as he realized something. "Kaiba, I know this sounds stupid, but was Kenshin in spirit form when he left?" Yami asked, seriously. 

Kaiba looked a little surprised that Yami had guessed that little detail. "Yes, he was. Now, I've answered two of your questions. My turn: who are you?" 

Yami realized a little late that he'd been referring to both Kenshin and Battousai in third person. "Uh…" he tried to come up with something convincing to tell Kaiba. 

"I want the truth. You obviously aren't Kenshin or this Battousai person. I have no idea what you're doing in Kenshin's body or if it even is his body, but I want to know who you are," Kaiba said, practically reading Yami's mind. Yami, realizing that he had no other choice but to tell the truth, shrugged his shoulders. "I'm Yami, the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle." 

Kaiba looked at him incredulously. "If you're the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, then why was Yugi wearing it at school today?" Kaiba asked. 

Yami shrugged again. "The Puzzle belongs to him, I just inhabit it. Currently, I cannot seem to escape Kenshin's body, however," Yami said. At Kaiba's blank look, he elaborated. "Something happened to Kenshin's soul. I assume he became trapped in your virtual world for a short while. For certain reasons, I needed to take over his body for a short period of time. Apparently, his body pulled my soul completely out of the Puzzle when I possessed him, and I have not been able to return since. We still haven't been able to locate Kenshin's soul," Yami explained, leaving out everything about Battousai. 

Kaiba looked like he wasn't sure whether to believe him or not. On one hand, the story was ludicrous. However, it made sense in a weird sort of way. In the end, Kaiba didn't really make a decision about it one way or the other. "It doesn't matter who you are. You're not Kenshin, and he's the one I want to talk to, not you. That is all, you may go," Kaiba said, dismissing Yami as he turned and walked back to his office. 

Yami just smiled, shaking his head. He knew Kaiba had partly believed his story and that was why he was dismissed. Kaiba was going to ponder over what Yami had said for a while, until he convinced himself that there was no possible way it could be true. 

Still smiling at Kaiba's predictability, Yami left the Kaiba mansion, and started walking home. 

~*~ 

Ryou was walking home from school alone. Both Kenshin and Battousai had been blissfully quiet since leaving the school. Ryou had never realized how noisy two people inside your head could be. Up ahead, a man was leaning against the side of the building, smoking a cigarette. When he saw Ryou, he crushed the cigarette under his shoe and casually walked around the corner. Ryou didn't notice him, enjoying the silence until said voices interrupted his thoughts once again. 

/Ryou, stop,/ Kenshin commanded him. 

The boy complied and was about to question the order, but Battousai beat him to it. 

//What's wrong, Kenshin?// Battousai asked, noting the seriousness in Kenshin's tone. He could practically feel Kenshin grin almost maliciously. 

/Might I take over for awhile? We have some hostile company up around that next corner,/ he said, trying to keep the eagerness out of his voice. 

Ryou blinked in surprise/ Hostile company? he asked, a little confused. 

/Yes. It appears that the gang from the other night is out for revenge. I promised you I'd teach them their lesson better the second time through…/ Kenshin said, almost impatiently waiting for Ryou's consent. 

Why are you so eager to fight them? Ryou asked, not really sure he wanted to hear the answer. 

/Oh, I just have a few experiments I'd like to conduct – tests, if you will…/ Kenshin replied, vaguely. The truth was, after proving his worthiness as the spirit of the Ring, he had gained the knowledge of how to access and use all the powers of the Ring. And he had been waiting for an opportunity such as this to test out his new powers. After all, he wouldn't be in the Ring much longer, so this would probably be his only chance. /Don't worry, Ryou. I do not plan to do any permanent damage to any of them,/ he assured the boy. 

//Oh, come on. Let Kenshin have a little fun. After everything he's been through recently, I think he deserves it…/// Battousai said. He could read Ryou like an open book, and he knew that statement would be the final vote for the decision. 

He was right. Ryou sighed. Very well, he said, entering his soul room as Kenshin took over the body. 

Immediately, Kenshin turned and walked back to the end of the block. After a quick survey to make sure no one was looking, he quickly jumped on to the roof of the building. He ran across the rooftops to the alley where he sensed the hostile ki. He perched on the ledge of the roof, and peered over the side. The alley was a dead end, with gangsters hiding behind the trash cans and dumpsters. 

/One, two, three,… only fifteen? I'm insulted!/ he said indignantly. /I would have thought that there would have at least been twice that many! Oh well, I won't let their small numbers ruin my fun./ 

Silently, he jumped from the roof to the ground behind the gang, and stood there for a moment. 

"He was walking this way. He should be here any minute," Kenshin heard one of the gangsters whisper. Deciding they weren't going to notice him, he decided to announce himself. 

"Oh, who are we waiting for?" he asked in Ryou's normal voice. Startled, the gangsters whipped around toward the sound of his voice. Kenshin watched as their eyes traveled from him to the dead end behind him, then to the walls bereft of any type of ladder, and then back to him again. He could almost see their minds trying to figure out how he had gotten behind them. Of course, they gave up trying to figure it out when their leader stepped forward. 

"Actually, we were waiting for you. We have some unfinished business from the other night," he said, cracking his knuckles in what he thought was an intimidating display. Kenshin stifled a yawn. "Would you care to stay and play with us?" 

Kenshin's eyes lit up, just like a little child's at Christmas time. "Oh, yes! I would love to stay and play!" 

Some of the gang members looked at each other. This kid new he was about to get the beating of his life, right? Maybe he wasn't quite all there mentally… 

Kenshin, ignoring their confused looks, continued. "However," he said, his voice dropping, "we'll play by my rules, this time." 

The gangs leader was intrigued. Didn't this kid know he was out-numbered and out-matched? He decided to play along. "Oh? And what rules might those be?" he asked, a bit sarcastically. Kenshin's smile widened. 

"Well, first off, no one can escape," he said, grinning almost maniacally as the first tendrils of fog began to drift across the alleyway entrance. The fog grew thicker, surrounding everyone in the alley and blocking out the sun. Two of the gang members panicked, and bolted towards the street before it was completely blocked from view. 

"I said you shall not escape!" Kenshin yelled, his voice full of rage and his eyes burning with anger, causing some of the gangsters closer to him to step back instinctively. He quickly stretched his hand towards the would-be escapees, using the power of the Ring to immobilize them. They stopped, inches short of their goal, as the mists closed around them. Their faces widened in fear as they realized that their bodies were no longer under their control. 

Seeing that the fog had finished forming, Kenshin's face relaxed into a smile and he released his hold on the two thugs. Startled at their sudden freedom, they stumbled forward falling right at the edge of the swirling mists. 

"I'd be careful not to enter in there. You'll spend eternity wandering the Shadow Realm, and you don't want to know what horrors lurk in it's depths," Kenshin said, his voice barely above a whisper. As if the prove his statement, an unearthly shriek tore through the air, seeming to come from everywhere at once. The gangsters hurriedly backed away from the darkness, everyone unconsciously gathering in a group in the center, as far away from the mists as possible. 

Ryou was a little concerned. He had no idea Kenshin could use the powers of the Ring, and was more than a little uneasy at Kenshin summoning the Shadow Realm. He was also confused by Kenshin's behavior. Although he had shouted out in almost pure rage earlier, Ryou could only sense a mild amusement from him. He wasn't sure what to make of the situation. 

Battousai, feeling Ryou's confusion, decided to explain what Kenshin was doing. //Relax, Ryou. Kenshin's only intimidating them,// he said, reassuringly. 

But, he sounded so angry -- Ryou began before Battousai cut him off. 

//_Sounded_ angry, yes. But do his emotions tell you he's angry? No. In fact, he seems to be enjoying himself. He doesn't get to act like the bad guy without having to hurt anyone very often, so I'd suggest you just sit back and enjoy the show. Besides, he gave you his word that he wouldn't cause any permanent damage. You got nothing to worry about,// he said confidently. 

I suppose your right, Ryou agreed, reluctantly. He did trust Kenshin. 

/You do realize that since I am the only who's linking you two together, I can hear every word you say, don't you?/ 

Gomen, Kenshin, Ryou apologized. 

Kenshin turned his attention back to the gangsters before him. They were still in a bit of shock at what he had just done. 

"Sorry, but I couldn't allow you to get out before the Shadow Realm had finished forming," Kenshin said smiling a little evilly, his voice soft and spoken in a tone that sent shivers down the spine. The gangsters where starting to regret picking on this boy. 

Deciding they weren't frightened enough, Kenshin manipulated his ki in the same manner he had with Joey and Tristan, and sent it at them. His attack was stronger due to his new shadow powers, and the fact that they were already jumping at every little thing that moved. It didn't help that shadow forms could be barely seen, prowling along the edge of the barrier Kenshin had formed around them. A few of the gangster were on the ground, tears flowing freely down their cheeks as they whimpered in terror. 

Suddenly, one of the beasts broke through the barrier, and ran towards the terrified group. As it came closer, they could make out not one, but three heads. The center was that of a lion, jaws gaping in anticipation of the meat that would soon grace it's stomach. It had wings on it's back and a tail that resembled a snake. They didn't see what the other two heads were, as their eye's were all focused on what they were sure would be their last sight. 

It slowed as it approached them, seeming to study them and determine whether or not they posed any threat. Seemingly satisfied, it gave them a feline grin, showing all of it's sharp, pointy teeth. It raised one massive paw, claws out, and brought it down right in the center of their group. Too scared to move, they watched as their doom came closer and closer until, at the last second, they were pushed out of the way. 

Since they were standing so close together, when one person lost his balance, the whole group went down. They landed hard on pavement. It took everyone a few seconds to realize that they were back in the alley, and the strange mists (along with the monster) were gone. After they got untangled, they kind joked half-heartedly about it, saying it was nothing but their imagination. A cold voice cut through the air. 

"I was lenient this time, because of your ignorance. However, the next time you try to fight me, I shall leave you to become Chimera's next meal," Kenshin said, softly. 

Before anyone could react, Kenshin disappeared before their eyes. On the ground where he had been standing were three deep gashes in the pavement, where Chimera's claws had hit. No one said a word as they stared at what had almost been there demise. 

~*~ 

Kenshin walked the rest of the way to Ryou's house in silence. It didn't feel nearly as satisfying as he thought it would when he put the gangsters in their place. _Oh well, at least Ryou won't have to worry about them anymore,_ he thought, relinquishing his control back to Ryou as he stepped inside the house. 

/Oh, Ryou, by the way, would you mind if I borrowed your body around 2:00 tomorrow morning?/ Kenshin asked. 

What? What do you need my body for at 2:00 in the morning? Ryou asked, more than a little surprised. His eyes narrowed. I think you scared those gangsters enough… 

/No, no, nothing like that. It's just, well, I need to get the Mask and the Puzzle. I highly doubt that Yugi would willingly hand them both over, so I'm going to borrow them while he's asleep,/ Kenshin explained. 

Ryou was silent. Battousai, however, was not. //Stealng other people's Millennium Items? You're starting to sound like Bakura!// Battousai said, laughing. 

/Steal is such a strong word. The Mask is mine, anyway. And as for the Puzzle – well, I'm just going to borrow it without Yugi's permission. I intend to return it to him. That's hardly stealing…/ 

//Kenshin, no matter what pretty definitions you give it, it still stealing!// Battousai said, still laughing at Kenshin's attempts to defend his position. 

/Alright, fine. Have it your way. I'm going to steal the Puzzle and the Mask and then I'm going to return the Puzzle after I'm done with it,/ Kenshin said, conceding to defeat to Battousai. The latter just smirked mentally. 

Well, I suppose you'd just take over while I was asleep if I said no, so go ahead and use my body. I'll just sleep in my soul room tonight. 

/Thank you, Ryou./ 

//You know, you really shouldn't support his bad habits, Ryou. When a child reaches his adolescent years, you must be firm with him.// 

/Shut up./ 

~*~ 

Yami woke in the middle of the night to the sound of the floor boards creaking slightly in the hallway. _Probably just my imagination,_ Yami thought, trying to go back to sleep. He wondered how Kenshin could get any rest at all – his body woke up at every single noise. Yami was drifting back off the sleep, when he heard a door latch click into place as the door closed. He identified the sound as coming from Yugi's room. 

Instantly, he was on his feet, thankful he was in Kenshin's body to deal with the intruder. He rushed into Yugi's room, mindful to be quiet enough so that he wouldn't wake the boy. Looking around, he spied nothing out of the ordinary. Yugi was asleep on his bed, undisturbed. The curtains swung lazily in the cool breeze allowed inside from the open window. Yami felt a little foolish as he realized that the wind had blown the door shut. It was a little too cool outside, so he walked over and shut the window. He checked one more time to make sure no one was lurking in the corners or skulking in the shadows, before heading back to Kenshin's room, berating himself for his foolishness. 

Outside, a white-haired boy walked out of the shadows, briefly casting out his senses to show the ki of everyone around him. Satisfied that he had not been seen, he hurried back home, the Millennium Mask and Millennium Puzzle clutched tightly in his hands. 

~*~ 


	41. Chapter 41

Disclaimer: If I owned either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!" then you would be seeing this in the manga or anime as opposed to ff net. 

**Chapter 41**

Kenshin made his way back to Ryou's house, Mask in one hand, Puzzle in the other. Ryou was still asleep in his soul room. Kenshin had been able to take over the body without waking the boy, and would return to the Ring as soon as he put Ryou's body back in bed. He would not go to sleep, however. No, he was expecting company as soon as a certain someone woke up to get ready for school. Kenshin knew he would come to Ryou's house first. 

~*~ 

There was a knock on the door. "Yugi, time to get up!" came Grandpa's jovial voice through the door. Yugi groaned and rolled over, his groggy mind thinking maybe the annoying voice would go away if he ignored it. He had no such luck. 

"Come on, Yugi, get up!" 

Yugi had gained enough conscious thought to identify the owner of the voice, and realized any attempts to return to his slumber would be futile. "Alright, Grandpa, I'm up," he said, just loud enough to make himself heard through the door. It was hard to make your voice work so early in the morning, especially at higher volumes. Apparently Grandpa heard, because Yugi then heard him calling through Kenshin's door to wake up Yami. Yami answered him promptly. 

Yugi grumbled about how stupid people had to have school so early in the morning as he climbed out of bed. Without opening his eyes, he groped around on the desk to find the Millennium Puzzle. After a minute or two, he opened one eye to see it was not on his desk. Opening the other eye. He looked on the floor around his desk. Nothing. 

_Maybe Yami took it. After all, he has lived there for several centuries…_ Yugi thought, making his way to Kenshin's room. He squinted in the bright light of the hall as he opened his door. Ignoring it, he knocked on Kenshin's door. "Yami? Can I come in?" 

"Yes," Yami replied and Yugi opened the door. Yami noticed the expression on his face. "What's wrong, aibou?" he asked. 

Yugi didn't see the Millennium Puzzle and started to become a little worried. "Yami, you didn't happen to take the Puzzle, did you?" Yugi asked, a little nervously. Yami's eyes widened. 

"It's not in your room?" 

Yugi shook is head. "No, I can't find it." 

Yami stopped, as if remembering something. "Yugi did you leave your window open last night?" he asked. 

"No, it gets too cold. I always close it before I go to sleep," Yugi said. 

Yami cursed under his breath. "Last night, I thought I heard someone close the door to your room. I went in there and discovered the window open. I couldn't see anyone outside, so I assumed that you had left it open and it had blown the door closed. Apparently, that was someone stealing the Puzzle," Yami rationalized. "We need to get it back as soon as possible. I'm going over to Ryou's house to see if he'll lend me the use of the Ring. I still need to apologize, as well." 

"He might still be a little mad at you. Are you sure he'll let you use the Ring?" 

Yami shrugged. "I don't know, but if someone else is after the Millennium Items, then his Ring maybe next." _Or they could have already taken it, _ Yami thought. He didn't voice opinions because he didn't want Yugi to worry more than he already was. "I'll be back," he said, walking out of the room. 

He summarized what had happened and where he was going for Grandpa before heading to Ryou's house. He ran the entire way there, briefly wondering if the boy would be up yet. 

~*~ 

Kenshin smiled as he felt Yami's aura grow closer. Ryou was indeed up, eating breakfast. He paused when he heard someone knock on the door. 

_That's odd. I wonder who that could be?_ he wondered as he walked to the door. He was considerably surprised at what he saw. 

"Kenshin!" he said, more than a little startled. The red haired boy shook his head. "No, Ryou, I am Yami. However, I can't seem to get out of Kenshin's body," Yami explained. His eyes wandered to Ryou's bruised cheek and he looked down, ashamed. "I am truly sorry for my actions the other day. I was out of line. You were only stating the truth and I had no right to hit you, regardless of what you may have said. I apologize," Yami said, bowing. Ryou was speechless. 

"Y-Yami…?" he stuttered, not sure what else to say. How often does an ancient pharaoh show up on your doorstep first thing in the morning in your friend's body apologizing for hitting you? Yami decided to get right to the point. 

"Ryou, then reason I've come is because the Millennium Puzzle has been stolen," Yami said, seriously. 

"What? Someone stole the Puzzle?" Ryou asked, finding his voice. He was momentarily surprised at the news until he remembered Kenshin's request the previous night. Kenshin, did you…? 

/Yup./ 

"Yami, why don't we discuss this inside?" Ryou suggested. He had a feeling that what Kenshin was planning on doing would be better done inside, away from prying eyes. He led Yami to the living room where they both sat down. Yami continued. 

"If someone is stealing the Millennium Items, then your Ring may soon become a target. I have come to ask if you would lend me the Ring to find the Puzzle. You do still have the Ring, don't you?" Yami asked, his eyes wandering to where the Ring usually hung around Ryou's neck. His narrowed at what he saw there. 

"Ryou, how did you get the Millennium Mask?" Yami asked, his voice quiet. The last time Yami had checked, the Mask had been sitting on Yugi's desk. Yugi probably hadn't even noticed it was missing yet. 

Ryou looked down in surprise. Sure enough, the Millennium Mask was hanging around his neck. _How could I have not noticed that?_ Ryou wondered. He looked back up at Yami's angry eyes. 

Kenshin, feeling Yami anger rising, decided that now would be an excellent time to intervene. /Ryou? Would you mind if I took over from here?/ he asked. 

Be my guest, Ryou said a little too enthusiastically. He had seen what Kenshin's body was capable of, and an angry Yami was currently possessing it. Kenshin would be much more able to defend against anything Yami could possibly do. 

Yami didn't notice the muted flash of the Ring beneath Ryou's shirt, but there was definitely something different about the boy. How he held himself reminded the pharaoh of Bakura. 

"How did I get the Mask? I took it, of course. It was ridiculously easy. Although, this body isn't as well suited to stealth as I would have liked, so I ended up making an incredible amount of noise. I can't believe that, even with that body, you only realized something was wrong when the door closed. And then you thought it had been because of the window! Don't you think the door would have closed earlier had the window been open all night? Pathetic," Kenshin said, sneering. For some reason, it brought him a certain amount of pleasure to see Yami grow more and more angry with each word. The feeling was intensified because Kenshin could almost see what Yami was thinking. He was agreeing with the accusations. He was berating himself for not reacting like he should have, and Kenshin was gratified to see his insults hit home. He really hated the Pharaoh. 

"So, you managed to Shadow Realm, Bakura. My compliments on accomplishing such a feat," Yami said, a little bitterly. _Of all the times for Bakura to come back…_

Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "Do not compare me to that petty little thief," he replied, scathingly. Yami looked surprised. 

"If you are not Bakura, then who are you? Battousai, perhaps?" Yami asked, his eyes once again traveling down to the Mask. 

"Wrong again, I'm afraid. It really bothers you to not what's going on, doesn't it? Oh, the might Pharaoh is stumped!" Kenshin said, practically howling with laughter. 

Both Battousai and Ryou were a little alarmed at Kenshin's behavior. Since Ryou was now wearing both the Ring and the Mask, he and Battousai could talk without Kenshin overhearing. 

Does Kenshin normally act like this? Ryou asked. 

//No, this isn't like him at all. He was a little too cutthroat when dealing with those gangsters yesterday, but I didn't think anything of it because of the shadow powers. This is probably the only time he'll ever have access to them, so he was trying them out. Now, however, I'm not so sure. Also, feel his emotions. He's practically radiating his hatred towards Yami,// Battousai said, wondering what would make Kenshin act like this. 

Well, I can understand why he would hate Yami, Ryou said, thinking about all the problems that had happened recently that could be traced back to the spirit. 

Battousai shook his head mentally. //No, Kenshin doesn't hate Yami. Bandits killed the only people that he cared about and were ready and willing to kill him as well. Hiko slew them first and Kenshin gave them proper burials, along with the slave traders that beat him on a regular basis. He couldn't bring himself to hate any of them and the most Yami has done is inconvenienced him. That's the problem, something is influencing Kenshin, changing him, and I don't know what it is, or how to stop it,// Battousai admitted, frustrated. 

Ryou was silent a moment before making an observation about Kenshin's behavior. He is acting a lot like Bakura. 

"Well, if you openly admit to stealing the Mask, was it you who stole the Puzzle as well?" Yami demanded more than asked. 

Kenshin feigned surprise. "Oh, you're not quite as stupid as you look," he said, sneering. 

Yami ignored the remark. "Where is it?" he asked. He didn't know who this person was, but he was acting almost exactly like Bakura. And one of Bakura's weaknesses was the fact that he liked to gloat. 

As Yami predicted, Kenshin held up the Puzzle, showing Yami his prize. "Right here. Do you want it back?" Kenshin asked, his tone mocking. 

"As a matter of fact, yes." Yami lunged for the Puzzle, hoping to use the speed of Kenshin's body to catch his opponent off-guard. Unfortunately for him, Kenshin had seen the change in his ki and his posture that indicated he was about to attack. Also, Yami's movements were slow and down right clumsy to Kenshin's trained eye. _He needs a lot more practice controlling my body. This display is downright embarrassing, _Kenshin thought, as he easily evaded Yami's lunge. 

Yami, not counting on Ryou's agility to be on par with Kenshin's, ended up sprawled over the chair Kenshin had been sitting in previously. Kenshin had taken the seat Yami had vacated on the couch. 

"That was pathetic. You put that body to shame. Don't move, you'll only embarrass yourself more," Kenshin said, using the Ring to immobilize him. Yami, upon discovering he couldn't move, immediately drew upon his magic to counter his opponents. Nothing happened. He tried again with the same results. He realized, with a sinking feeling, that he had left his power in the Puzzle when he had possessed Kenshin's body. He was completely at this stranger's mercy. And this stranger didn't seem to like him very much. 

Kenshin laughed at Yami's predicament. "Not so high and mighty now are you, Pharaoh?" Yami glared at Kenshin defiantly. 

//For crying out loud, Kenshin! Quit stalling and put him back in the Puzzle!// Battousai said, impatiently. He didn't like seeing Kenshin like this, and Yami seemed to be what was causing the change in him. 

Kenshin grumbled something about 'ruining his fun', but complied with Battousai's request. He narrowed his eyes, focusing on Yami's ki. He then used his newfound shadow powers to form a barrier encasing Yami's ki, and pulled it away from the body. 

Yami, seeing his opponent's obvious desires not to hurt the body, guessed what Kenshin would do and clenched his teeth against the pain he new was to come. Sure enough, as soon as the stranger unleashed his shadow magic, Yami's very being was riddled with pain. He shut his eyes, his body tense, as he felt his soul being ripped apart. His body did not move otherwise, still being paralyzed by the power of the Ring. After what seemed like an eternity, Kenshin's body was forced to release its hold on Yami's soul. Yami didn't even register the familiar surroundings he was in before he fell into oblivion. 

Kenshin smirked, triumphantly. He knew Yami hadn't stood a chance against his superior skills. _It was only a fluke that the Pharaoh somehow managed to defeat me so many other times- _ Kenshin paused, mid-thought. _Wait a minute, so many other times? This is the first time I've faced Yami, _ he thought to himself, confused. 

_It doesn't matter! That stupid Pharaoh was finally beaten! I should banish him to the Shadow Realm!_

_No! Yami's my friend! Besides, I'd hurt Yugi if I took Yami away from him, _ Kenshin argued with himself. 

_The Pharaoh's whelp? Who cares about him, anyway? That runt's just some little nobody who needs the Pharaoh to protect him every time he gets into trouble. He's even more pathetic than Ryou!_

Kenshin ignored the remarks as something else caught his attention. _Since when have I referred to Yami and Yugi as the Pharaoh and his whelp? And when have I every thought either Yugi or Ryou were pathetic? Come to think of it, when did I truly hate Yami? I never did! These aren't my thoughts! Something else is in my mind!_ Kenshin realized with a start. 

_No! I've always hated him! Ever since he sealed me into this Ring, I've sworn vengeance! I shall have my revenge! Banish him to the Shadow Realm!_

Now that Kenshin was aware of this entity, he was able to feel it enter his mind, manipulating his emotions. Kenshin felt an intense desire to do as it commanded. 

/NO!/ Kenshin practically shrieked, desperately trying to retain his control of his mind. 

It only took a minute or so, but the battle was very difficult for Kenshin. It had been influencing Kenshin subtly for the past day or two and those roots were starting to take hold again. Kenshin firmly banished them from his mind, clinging to his moral principles and using them as a shield. In the end he was victorious, but he could still feel the entity waiting for the next opportunity to attack his mind. Both Ryou and Battousai were confused by his sudden outburst. 

//Kenshin? Are you okay? Why did you yell 'no'?// Battousai asked, more than a little confused. He couldn't understand the reasons behind any of the emotions he was getting from Kenshin right now. 

/I'll explain later. Right now, I think Ryou should place the Ring on my body, he said relinquishing control to the boy. Obediently, Ryou took off the Ring and placed it around Kenshin's neck. Almost immediately there was a flash of light and Kenshin was handing the Ring back to Ryou, as if he did not wish to it to be near him. Ryou took it, a little confused at Kenshin's obvious dislike for his recent ex-home. 

//Alright Kenshin, you've got some explaining to do,// Battousai said in a very paternal voice. Kenshin smiled, but decided talking took too much effort, so he conversed mentally instead. 

/Well, it would appear that since Bakura has resided in the Ring for so long, his greatest goals and desires have become ingrained into the Ring. I did not realize it before, but that was influencing my actions as well. I only realized it was there after I sent Yami back into the Puzzle, and I fought it for control of my mind. It was a very tiring experience, to say the least,/ Kenshin explained, letting his head rest in his hands. He was too tired to even rejoice at being back in his own body after so long. 

I suppose that makes sense. You were starting act like Bakura, Ryou said, repeating his comment from earlier. 

Kenshin didn't reply. Instead, he stood up, shaking off the fatigue that plagued him, and looked at Ryou. "I thank you for all the assistance you've given us these past few days," he said, seriously. 

Ryou just nodded, unsure of how to reply to that. He removed the Mask from around him neck. "It was nothing, really. I should be the one thanking you for defeating Bakura," Ryou said, handing the Mask to Kenshin. 

Kenshin accepted it and placed it around his neck once more. "Well, I do believe you have school, so why don't you hurry and finish getting ready? I'll walk with you. If we hurry, we can meet up with the others." 

Ryou nodded and left the room. Kenshin sat down on the couch to wait. 

~*~ 

Yugi kept looking around anxiously. Yami wasn't back yet, and he had waited until the last possible moment to go to school. He knew Yami could take care of himself, especially in Kenshin's body, but he was still worried. Tea was silent, walking next to him. She was also worried about the spirit of the Puzzle, but she tried not to let it show, lest Yugi worry more. 

Joey and Tristan came walking up, laughing and joking as usual. They paused as they saw the solemn procession before them. 

"Whoa, who died, Yug?" Joey said, indicating the serious expressions on both his and Tea's faces. 

"This isn't a joking matter, guys. Someone has stolen the Puzzle and Yami went to Ryou's to see about the Ring. He should have been back by now, but…" Tea trailed off, her gaze moving to look in the direction of Ryou house. Joey and Tristan both became serious when they heard what had happened. 

"Why don't stop by Ryou's and see if Yami's there?" Tristan suggested. Tea shook her head. "We're already going to be late as it is," she protested. 

"Ah, who cares! It's jus' school," Joey said, "We're late to class all the time, right Tristan?" 

"Yeah, today won't be any different. We'll go check if Yami's there, kay guys?" he said, started towards Ryou's. A voice stopped him before anyone else could reply. 

"I'm afraid he isn't there." 

Everyone turned to the sound of the familiar voice. A red haired boy with lavender eyes was walking towards them. A white-haired was with him. Yugi was the first to react. 

"Yami!" he said, a smile spreading over his face. Kenshin smiled slightly and shook his head. Yugi almost took a step backwards in surprise. "Kenshin?" he asked, disbelievingly. Kenshin's smile grew wider as if in confirmation, and he nodded his head once. 

Before any other questions could be asked, Kenshin walked forward towards Yugi and handed him the Millennium Puzzle. "Here is your Puzzle, Yugi," he said as the smaller boy accepted it. 

Yugi immediately slipped the Puzzle around his neck and turned to ask Kenshin about Yami went he heard someone ranting in his mind. 

\Yami!\ Yugi cried, cutting the spirit off mid-rant. 

\\Yugi?\\ Yami asked, more than a little confused. 

Kenshin assumed that Yugi had discovered Yami, if the look on his face was any indication. Deciding to forgo any unnecessary questions and some rather awkward answers, he spoke to Yugi, drawing his attention back to the present. 

"What happened is not important. All that matters is that almost everything is as it should be," Kenshin said, a little mysteriously. 

"Almost everything? What do you mean by that?" Tea asked, wondering why Kenshin was being so vague. She almost regretted asking when Kenshin turned his attention towards her. She just couldn't look at him the same way, now that she knew who he was. She noticed that Joey and Tristan were keeping their distance as well. 

Kenshin took all this in, as well as the fact that he was the reason behind their behavior. He averted his gaze from Tea, as it seemed to make her uncomfortable. _This should make them feel better,_ he thought. 

"I do not belong here. This is not my time. I shall be returning to the Bakumatsu, shortly," he explained, closing his eyes as he spoke. He read their auras to see their reactions. 

Their reactions to his statement were pretty much all the same. They were surprised, to say the least. His admission had caught them off-guard. That surprise turned into a mixture of emotions. Minor relief and guiltiness at feeling that relief came from Tea, Tristan and Joey. Yugi was unsure, probably confused as to why Kenshin would want to go back. Ryou was practically in denial. 

"You can't go back!" he said almost vehemently, surprising himself as well as everyone else. He had become rather attached to the red head in the short time they had known each other. Kenshin just smiled at the boy and walked over to him. 

"Ryou, I must go back. I do not belong here. Besides I – I need to atone for all the lives I've taken," he said, speaking quietly so that only Ryou could hear him. "Nothing can justify what I did. Just because one possesses the skills and abilities to take another's life does not give him the right to do so. I have been running from my past. It is time that I go back and take responsibility for what I have done. Please understand." 

Ryou looked at him as if sizing him up. Ryou really felt like he could relate to Kenshin. Neither of their lives had been very easy. Kenshin had a tragic past and Ryou's past, although no where near as bad as Kenshin's, wasn't very nice. His mother had died when he was very young, and his father had always been away on archeological digs. Although the neighbors would come to check on him periodically, Ryou had practically had to fend for himself. He felt very alone in the world. Then his father had brought home the Millennium Ring. Ryou had been excited about it at first, but then strange thing started happening. The few friends he did have all slipped into comas from which they never awoke. It wasn't too long after that Ryou became labeled a freak. All the other children were afraid to be around, afraid _of_ him. 

It soon after, Ryou starting switching schools. It was the same everywhere he went until he came here. Not long after he met Yugi, he learned of Bakura's presence. The spirit of the Ring apparently couldn't stand his hikari and would verbally abuse him almost constantly. Ryou finally felt he could become friends with Yugi, but held back because of Bakura's obsession with Yugi's Millennium Puzzle. If he became close friends with Yugi then Bakura could use to his advantage, so Ryou was still forced to be alone. 

And then Kenshin came. Ryou was having a difficult time trying to decide who's side Kenshin was on at first. But as Ryou discovered more about his past, he realized how much they were alike. Then the Mask was stolen, but Kenshin was able to get it back, somehow. The end result was Bakura being banished, but even if he weren't Ryou still felt that he could really open up to Kenshin. He didn't need to worry about Bakura – Kenshin could even tell who was in control at the time! For the first time Ryou had felt like he really had a true friend. And now he was leaving, never to return again. 

"I understand that you didn't want to kill people. But, this world is a result of what you did. Sure you understand that?!" Ryou said quietly. No need for everyone to over-hear their conversation. Kenshin nodded, agreeing with Ryou. 

"If I were to go back and change anything at all, I would not change that. I would still fight, as I still believe it was the only solution in that particular situation. However, I did not only kill the corrupt men in power. I killed many of the soldiers who were just fighting for what they believed in. I killed many of the bodyguards who were just doing their duty, trying to protect one of the men I had been assigned to kill. I killed any person in the wrong place at the wrong time that happened to see me carry out my assignments while I was a shadow assassin. My sword took many lives that should not have been lost. That is what I need to atone for," Kenshin explained. 

"That still doesn't explain why you need to leave. Why can't you atone here?" Ryou persisted. He was trying to find any holes in Kenshin's reasoning to use against him, to convince him to stay. 

"I am taking a vow to never kill again. I will now use my sword to protect people. I cannot do so in this age. Not only have swords been banned, but this is a world that I barely understand. So much has changed in one century. Besides, I cannot uphold my vow to never kill again with my katana or wakizashi. I need to have a new sword forged. A sakabato," Kenshin said, remembering the sword he had seen in Kaiba's virtual world. And he knew which sword smith to take his order to. "Also, although the fighting part of the Bakumatsu may be over, the actual revolution will not take place until people learn to live in the new world. The Tokugawa regime lasted for three hundred years. It will take quite a bit of time before everyone settles into the new laws, and the new government. I need to be there to help that happen. And, many of the people who need help will be people who lost their husbands, brothers, and fathers to the sword wielded by the Hitokiri Battousai." 

Ryou hung his head in defeat. Kenshin's reasons were flawless. He knew it was selfish to try and keep him here. Ryou attempted to smile, but failed miserably. Instead he threw his arms around Kenshin. 

Even with his ki-reading ability, Ryou's hug still surprised him. He was not used to people touching him, much less someone showing so much affection towards him. As a manslayer, people tended to avoid his very presence and Hiko wasn't exactly very open with his emotions. The only time Hiko had touched him was with his sword. 

After Kenshin got over his initial shock, he returned the embrace. "I'm going to miss you," Ryou whispered. 

"I know. I'll miss you as well. Of all the people I've met, you're the one who understands me the most," Kenshin whispered back. 

"I don't think Battousai would agree with you on that," Ryou said, joking lightly. 

"He'll get over it." 

Ryou pulled away, turned and walked to school, not looking back. Even though Kenshin couldn't see his face, he could tell the boy was crying. He felt guilty for causing Ryou such pain, but it couldn't be helped. He didn't belong here. They both knew it. 

Kenshin turned back to Yugi, noticing that the others had slipped away while he was talking with Ryou. The smaller boy had moved closer and Kenshin could tell he had overheard the conversation. He smiled reassuringly at Yugi's guilty look. "It's alright, Yugi. I don't suppose I have any right to get angry with you for eavesdropping. I've listened to one or two of your conversation with Ryou, too," Kenshin admitted. 

Yugi looked like he might scold Kenshin when he remembered what he had been doing and smiled sheepishly instead. Kenshin laughed. 

"Well, I suppose this is goodbye, then," Kenshin said, his face becoming somber. Yugi nodded. 

"I agree with Ryou. I don't want you to go, but I see your reasons. Besides, you've finally got your soul back in your body, and the Mask with Battousai in it! Gotta leave before you all get separated again!" Yugi said, laughing. 

Kenshin joined in his laughter. "Yes, you people certainly did give us a 'run for our money' as you say." 

Their laughter died down, and they stood for a moment in an awkward silence. Then Yugi walked over and hugged him. Kenshin wasn't as surprised as he had been with Ryou and returned the embrace. 

"I wish you didn't have to leave. I'll miss you," Yugi said. 

"And I you. But, I have to go." 

Yugi nodded, and pulled away. "Well, I'd better get going. I'm already late as it is! Have fun in the Bakumatsu!" Yugi called over his shoulder as he ran towards the school. Kenshin just smiled as he watched the smaller boy leave. Kenshin turned and walked back to the Kame Game shop. 

~*~ 

Needless to say, Grandpa was quiet surprised to see Kenshin (with the correct soul in his body) and was rather dismayed to hear he was leaving. He agreed with Kenshin reasons, however, and they said their goodbyes. 

Kenshin decided to check on Ryou before he left. The boy had been pretty upset and Kenshin wanted to make sure he was all right. 

Kenshin made his ay to the school, avoiding all the teachers. It didn't matter if the students saw him, but the teachers might make him go to class. 

Kenshin stopped a little ways from the classroom Ryou was in. He spotted the boy sitting next to Yugi and Tristan. Kenshin cast his senses out to seeing how the boy was feeling. He was surprised at what he learned. Ryou was more like Kenshin than he knew. He realized what need to be done and although he may not like it, he accepted it and was coping. Kenshin allowed himself to smile. He turned when he heard a squeal behind him. 

"Oh my gosh! Kenshin! We thought you weren't in school today!" "Yugi said you were sick!" Oh, you're so devoted to your education that you don't even miss school if you can help it!" "Oh, that is so cool!" several girls said at once. Kenshin blinked, recognizing them as what Ryou called his 'fan club'. 

/Battousai, any suggestions?/ 

//Run.// 

Kenshin took off, noting that the girls followed him. It wasn't until he heard more footsteps join the original ones that he realized his mistake. He remembered what happened to Yami and cursed himself for his lapse in memory. Battousai laughed at his gullibility. 

/How long does it take you to chant the incantation for time travel?/ Kenshin asked as he ran. 

//Are you planning on just disappearing in front of these girls? That's not very polite…// Battousai said, mockingly. 

/Perhaps you would like to entertain them? I can force you out of the Mask, you know…/ Kenshin threatened. 

//I'll need about five seconds.// 

/Done./ Kenshin put on a burst of speed, increasing the distance between him and his followers. He fairly flew around the next corner, not even taking note of his surroundings. He stopped and thrust Battousai from the Mask. 

/Go!/ 

Without hesitation, Battousai began chanting softly. The Mask glowed in response and he disappeared as the first girl rounded to corner. She was surprised to see Kenshin was nowhere in sight. He had run into the corner where two perpendicular buildings met. There were no doors, and no other way out of there. Soon, the rest of the mob came around the corner and became as confused as the first girl. Where could he have gone? 

~*~ 


	42. Chapter 42

Disclaimer: If I owned either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!" then you would be seeing this in the manga or anime as opposed to ff net. 

**Chapter 42**

Kenshin opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. From what he could tell, he was leaning against the wall in a back alley in … _Kyoto?_ Kenshin thought, staring hard at the buildings surrounding him. He _did_ recognize this alley - he had used it as an escape route many times as a shadow assassin. He stood up and walked to the front of the alley, keeping to the shadows so he could watch the street without being seen. Two women passed by the mouth of the alley. They were dressed in kimonos and discussing the outcome of the battle at Toba Fushimi. Kenshin allowed himself to sigh in relief. He was finally back. 

He walked deeper into the alley, trying to contact Battousai. When Kenshin got no response, he tried searching for Battousai's ki. It was in the Mask but indicated the spirit was sleeping, probably worn out from casting the spell with such precision. _I thought he couldn't control where he ended up,_ Kenshin thought, making a mental note to ask Battousai about it later. 

Deciding that the clothes from Yugi's time would make him stand out even more than he usually did, Kenshin opted to take the scenic route back to the Inn where Katsura had stationed him before the final battle. He leapt and landed gracefully on the rooftop, not even alerting the occupants of the building to his presence. He quickly got his bearings and headed for the Inn. No one on the streets below noticed as the shadow flitted from roof to roof, not making a sound. 

Kenshin landed on the roof of the Inn and moved until he stood above his room. He cast out his senses, making sure the room was empty, before flipping off the roof and in through the open window. He slid the shoji closed to give himself a little more privacy, and changed into his spare gi and hakama. 

It felt good to be back in his old clothes. He left the discarded clothes on the floor, and went in search of Katsura. Technically, Kenshin was still in his service and he wasn't sure how much time had passed between the end of the battle and now. Katsura would be worried as to the fate of his favorite hitokiri. 

Wondering if Katsura was still at the Inn, Kenshin searched for the ki of the older man. Kenshin smiled as he found Katsura apparently in his room, and made his way through the Inn. As he neared the door, he saw a guard who was obviously bored out of his mind sitting in front of the door. He was drawing patterns on the ground with his finger to entertain himself. Obviously, he thought that since the battle had been won there was no longer a need to guard Katsura. Kenshin almost berated him for his ignorance. 

Kenshin stopped several feet from the guard, his emotionless mask unconsciously falling into place. His voice was quiet when he spoke. "Is Katsura in?" 

"He's not seeing anyone right now," the guard replied, not looking up. "Come back later." 

"You would do well to look at those with which you speak. It could give you adequate warning, should they decided to attack," Kenshin lectured, his voice low. The guard was on his feet instantly, drawing his sword as he lunged at Kenshin. Kenshin sighed, side-stepping the attack easily. He grabbed the blade and used the guard's momentum to plunge the sword deep into one of the wooden beams that supported the ceiling. The guard tried pulling it out, but all his efforts were in vain. The sword was stuck fast. 

"It is also wise to ascertain whether a person is a friend or foe before attacking," Kenshin said, continuing his lecture as if he hadn't been interrupted. The guard finally got his first good look at Kenshin and became very pale. Although he had never met Kenshin in person, the guard recognized the red hair and the cross-shaped scar. He had just attacked the Hitokiri Battousai. He dropped to his knees, bowing before Kenshin. 

"Gomen nasai, Himura! Moshi wake arimasen!" the guard cried, not raising his head from the floor. He hoped the hitokiri would accept his apology, but believed his head would soon be parted from his shoulders. 

Kenshin, feeling the guards terror, sighed. However, before either one of them could act, the shoji the guard had been sitting in front of opened. 

"What's going on out here?" Katsura inquired to anyone within hearing range. He had heard a scuffle take place outside his door, and had become alarmed when the guard had not reported what had happened. His eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. A sword was thrust in the wall and the guard was bowing on the ground in front of… 

"Himura!" Katsura said, his eyes conveying his disbelief. He regained his composure quickly and motioned Kenshin into the room. "Come. I wish to speak with you," he said, walking back into his room. Kenshin followed, stepping around the still-bowing guard, and closed the shoji behind him. 

Katsura kneeled on a mat and gestured for Kenshin to kneel on the mat across from him. Kenshin did so, bowing to Katsura as a sign of respect. He waited for the barrage of questions that was sure to come. 

"Kenshin," Katsura started, having difficulty with what to ask the red head first, "What happened at Toba Fushimi? There are reports of you fighting a tall man wearing a white cape, but no one could say what had happened to you or your opponent." 

Kenshin sighed mentally. This is where it was going to get tricky. "I did fight the swordsman of which you speak. Technically, he did defeat me, but I was able to escape before the final attack landed," Kenshin explained, a little vaguely. Katsura's eyebrow went up, questioningly. 

"He must have been a formidable opponent to defeat you. Do you know who his is?" Katsura asked. After all, there could be future problems for Kenshin if this person was held a grudge against the red head. Of course, if this person could defeat Kenshin, then there wasn't much Katsura could do to help the boy. 

Kenshin's face betrayed nothing of what he was thinking. "I was already tired from the day of fighting, but he is a formidable opponent. He is Sejiro Hiko XIII - my master," Kenshin answered, his face still emotionless. That was not the response Katsura was expecting. His eye's widened in surprise. 

"Your master?" 

"Yes. I left him before my training was complete, but he has his own reasons for wanting me dead. I'd rather not go into them right now," Kenshin said, subtly asking Katsura not to ask. Katsura respected his wishes, and changed the subject. 

"Where did you go after you escaped?" 

Another tricky question. Time for a lie. "I was wounded from my battle with Shishou. During my escape I fell into the river. When I woke up, I was in an old man's cottage in the woods. Apparently, he had pulled me out of the river and cared for my wounds as well as a fever I had developed. He wouldn't tell me how long I was delirious. As soon as I was strong enough to travel, I decided to come back and report to you. I'm not even sure how long ago the battle at Toba Fushimi was fought," Kenshin admitted. He hoped that it had been long enough for the events of his story to have taken place. 

Katsura nodded his head in acceptance of the tale. "It has been a little over a month since the battle at Toba Fushimi was won," Katsura informed the boy. "The true revolution shall now begin. Toba Fushimi was the deciding factor on which side would win. Now, we must rebuild the government from scratch, laying the corner stone of the society for which we have been fighting to create. Kenshin, you are freed from your services as a manslayer," Katsura said, smiling. 

Even though Kenshin knew as much from his research in the library in Yugi's time, Katsura's words still had a huge affect on him. It was one thing to read about the war ending, signifying the dismissal of your services, but to actually hear your superior say those words was something Kenshin was not prepared for. He sat there dazed, unable to articulate any form of speech for a moment. He could not think of a single thing to say. 

Katsura just continued smiling at Kenshin's obvious shock. Finally, Kenshin's face broke into a smile. "Thank you, Katsura," he said, bowing again, his voice was thick with emotion. 

"Kenshin, although the vast majority of the fighting is finished, it would still benefit us greatly if you stayed. True, there will be many small skirmishes here and there, but that is not why I am asking you to stay. You have been a great asset to us, and we very well may have failed had it not been for your skill with a sword. You shall have a high-ranking position, should you choose to stay. You will be able to influence the government directly - to help us create the society we have fought for. What do you say?" 

Kenshin looked up, his smile wavering, but not disappearing completely. "I do not wish to have a government position as a reward for manslaughter," he said quietly. 

Katsura nodded, dismissing Kenshin, and the now ex-hitokiri stood and left the room. 

Outside the room the guard, who was still trying to get his sword out of the wall, cringed when he saw Kenshin exit the room. Kenshin, however, couldn't seem to wipe that smile off his face and didn't even seem to notice the guard as he walked by. The guard just stared after him, confused. What could Katsura have said that would make an emotionless hitokiri walk around smiling as if he were the happiest man in the world? The guard didn't know of any upcoming battles that would require the Battousai's skill. In fact, he couldn't think of one thing they still need a hitokiri for. But then, why was the red haired boy so happy? The guard shrugged and went back to trying to free his sword from the wall, counting himself lucky that the Battousai was too preoccupied to remember the earlier incident. 

~*~ 

Kenshin left the Inn, never planning to return. He was still smiling - he just couldn't seem to make himself stop - as he walked around aimlessly. Even though his energy seemed to be particularly high today, he resisted the rather strong urges to run and jump around, yelling and screaming at the sheer delight he felt. Not having any particular destinations in mind, he just wandered through the streets enjoying being back in his time and especially enjoying the knowledge that he would never have to take another life for as long as he lived. 

He stopped and turned when he heard a familiar voice behind him. 

"So, I suppose you're leaving the Imperialists, Himura," said Shaku Ari, a master swords smith that had sided with the Imperialists. He was resting a sheathed sword carelessly on his shoulder. "They just won the first battle at Toba Fushimi. The true revolution is just around the corner and you decided to quit. And you don't even have a sword! Where do you think you're going?" 

"Sir Shaku. I'm heading out in search of a path where I can protect those living in this new era without having to resort to violence," Kenshin responded. He realized how contradictory his statement was going to sound when he asked the sword smith to forge him a special sword. However, Kenshin would more than likely need a means by which to defend himself and others while still upholding a vow to never kill again. He had sworn to Tomoe as he watched their house burn, consuming her corpse within it, that after the Bakumatsu was over he would never kill again. He intended to keep his vow. 

"Hmph. If such a path exists, I would very much like you to show it to me. Listen to me, Himura. Do not run away now, after killing so many men. You must live by the sword and die by the sword. Take this," he said, tossing a sheathed sword. Kenshin caught it, his gaze never leaving Shaku's eyes. "It's just a piece of scrap, but it's more than enough for you as you stand now. Try being a swordsman with _that_ thing on your belt. You'll find out the hard way that your idealistic notions are nothing more than worthless dreams! If that piece of scrap metal ever breaks, and if you still believe in such idealistic nonsense at that time, then return once more to Kyoto. And come to see me," Shaku said, walking away. 

A little confused, Kenshin looked at the sword he held in his hands. Wondering what Shaku had meant, he pulled it out of its sheath. His eye's widened as he gazed upon it. 

In his hands he held a perfect replica of the sakabato he had seen in Kaiba's virtual world. /How had he known…?/ Kenshin wondered, staring at the sword. 

//Katsura knew about the vow you were going to take after the war was over, right? He probably told Shaku about it and asked him to make it for you.// 

Kenshin jumped, not expecting to hear Battousai's voice. /Well, it seems you're back among the living. You know what's happened since we got back?/ 

//Yeah, I looked through your memories. So, you're a free man. What are you going to do now?// Battousai asked. 

Kenshin resumed walking, a new destination in mind. /Actually, I have a few questions for you. If memory serves me correctly, I recall you claiming that you couldn't control where we ended up in time. How did we get back here?/ 

//Well, I didn't realize that I could pull us toward someone who has Millennium Item until we traveled to Yugi's time. It's really quite simple, actually. Going back in time, I searched until I felt the energy signature of the Millennium Mask. I pulled us towards it until we were about to reach it and ended the spell just before we did. Basically, had I pulled us completely to the Mask, we would've re-entered the time stream sometime during the battle at Toba Fushimi, probably when we were fighting with Hiko.// 

/So, you used the Mask, which I was wearing before we traveled to the future, as an anchor of sorts and pulled us towards it back in time? How did you know when to end the spell? You could have landed us years in the future had you ended it too soon,/ Kenshin commented. He had now left the city far behind and was walking through a familiar forest. Battousai didn't notice the change in scenery. 

//Yes, well, decades of practice have honed my skills…// 

/In other words you just guessed?/ 

//Basically.// 

Kenshin chuckled at his darker half. /Well, we got lucky and ended up approximately where we were supposed to be./ 

//Yes. Anyway, I don't mean to sound repetitive, but you avoided my earlier question.// 

/Oh? And what was that, exactly?/ Kenshin asked, innocently. Battousai sighed in annoyance. 

//Don't act stupid, Kenshin - it doesn't suit you.// 

The smile finally slid off Kenshin's face. /I think I need to go settle things with Shishou,/ Kenshin said finally. Battousai reacted very predictably. 

//What?!// he practically shouted. //He'll kill you for sure!// 

/Oh, you _do_ care about me!/ Kenshin teased. Battousai was not amused. 

//Kenshin, this isn't a laughing matter,// Battousai said, his tone reprimanding. Kenshin was usually very serious. Had his brief visit to the future changed him so much? Why did he suddenly feel the need to hide behind a mask of cheerfulness and playfulness? His emotionless mask had worked fine before, and had been easier to deal with in Battousai's opinion. It seemed that he became distracted too easily, and Battousai had to keep dragging Kenshin back to the subject at hand. 

Kenshin sighed, becoming serious again. /I know, Battousai. Hiko thinks your possessing me by force, and propelling me to kill against my will. Like me, he can sense you. That is why I must face him alone./ 

Battousai was a little shocked by Kenshin's decision. He absently realized that Kenshin hadn't been distracted - he had in fact already made his decision and was just stalling. He knew how Battousai would react, after he got over the initial shock of Kenshin basically _abandoning_ him. 

//ARE YOU CRAZY?! HIKO WILL KILL YOU FOR SURE! HOW COULD YOU EVEN _THINK_ OF LEAVING ME BEHIND?!// 

Kenshin winced as Battousai's voice tore through his mind. /Battousai please, calm down,/ he said in a placating tone. Battousai lowered his voice to a less painful level, but did nothing to lessen the intensity of his emotions. 

//Kenshin, you are no match for your master. You know that, I know that, and he knows that. The only way that you stand a chance against him is if I use the Millennium Mask! Please, be rational!// Battousai pleaded. He did not wish for his hikari to die, but he realized that the ultimate decision would be Kenshin's. 

Kenshin's decision was unaffected. /I'm sorry, Battousai, but I cannot do that. You are basically the reason that Shishou is currently trying to kill me. That would only escalate the problem further - it would not solve anything. This is something that I have to do alone. Please understand./ 

//Why do you have to face him at all? We disappeared in front of his eyes and he hasn't been able to find us for a month. Who's to say he hasn't given up and gone home?// 

Kenshin smiled. /You've known Shishou as long as I have. You know better than to think he would do such a thing. He is still searching for us, and will continue to hunt us until he dies. It is better to resolve this now. Please understand,/ Kenshin said. He felt Battousai's will to argue fade into resignation. 

/Thank you,/ he said, seriously. Battousai snorted. 

//So, where are you planning on stashing me in the mean time?// he inquired idly. 

Upon finally reaching his destination, Kenshin stopped. Noticing this, Battousai peered through Kenshin's eyes and looked around. //What are we doing here?// he asked, a little confused. 

All around Kenshin stood uneven rows of simple wooden crosses. Most were worn from being exposed to the elements for several years. One cross, behind three worn stones, looked significantly less worn and made by more experienced hands. This cross was adorned by a simple blue ribbon, making it stand out from the other crosses. Kenshin walked up to it. 

Kneeling in front of the cross, he bowed and prayed, as was customary when visiting someone's gravesite. Although there was no body buried beneath it Kenshin had placed it here as a memorial, next to the only other people who had cared for him. He removed the Mask from around his neck. 

/This is where you'll be staying until I return or, in the case of my death, until someone else finds you,/ Kenshin explained, hanging the Mask around the cross. He wrapped the end of the ribbon around it, concealing the golden artifact from view in case anyone happened to pass by the graveyard. When he was satisfied, he turned and made his way towards the home of his master. 

~*~ 

Japanese terms: 

moshi wake arimasen - I make no excuse for my self (a formal way of apologizing) 

shishou - master 


	43. Chapter 43

Disclaimer: If I owned either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!" then you would be seeing this in the manga or anime as opposed to ff net. 

Really quick, I have one more story to recommend. For all you "Yu-Gi-Oh!" fans out there, you should check out "Spider Eyes" by firefly (it's on my favorite stories list). It focuses a little more on Yami Bakura and Ryou. This awesome story is also complete. 

**Chapter 43**

Kenshin walked toward his shishou's home, deep in thought. He had seen over one hundred years into the future, but he now wondered if he would live to see tomorrow. 

He walked, not really paying attention to the scenery around him. He had traveled this path many times and his feet moved of their own accord. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the small house he had once called home. 

He stood there for a moment, waiting for his shishou to come out. Nothing happened. More than a little surprised, Kenshin cast out his senses towards the house, thinking perhaps his master was asleep. No one was in the hut. Kenshin stood there, a little confused for a moment until he realized that Hiko couldn't search for his baka deshi very well if he stayed home all the time. Smiling at his own mistake, Kenshin turned and made his way back to Kyoto. 

~*~ 

Kenshin stopped just outside the city. _Where would Hiko go to look for me?_ he wondered. _Is there anyplace he would go on a regular basis…? Wait, I know!_ Kenshin hurried into the city, and new destination in mind. 

He stopped outside of the sake shop Hiko used to send him to for his sake. Not detecting Hiko's ki inside, Kenshin walked up to the door. He paused at the entrance, thinking about how many years had passed since he had last been into the shop. He quickly pulled his hair out of it's binding, letting it fall loose around his shoulders. He pulled some over his left shoulder, trying to hide his scar. After all, the owner of the sake shop probably didn't know that the little child that had used to come fetch Hiko's sake had become Hitokiri Battousai. 

Slightly frustrated at not being able to see if his scar was completely hidden, he decided to enter the store anyway, his head titled ever-so-slightly to the right to help keep his hair covering his left cheek. He opened the door and stepped inside. 

There were many shelves lined with sake bottles of all shapes and sizes - all empty, of course - and a small counter in front of a door that led to the back of the shop where all the sake was kept. Looking around Kenshin smiled, noticing that nothing had changed since the last time he was here. The only thing missing was the shop owner. 

"Shiskikura! Ebizo Shiskikura! Are you here?" Kenshin called out, waiting for the shopkeeper to appear. After few minutes, a tall, older man walked through the door from the back of the shop. His hair was light grey, balding on top, and his back was slightly hunched over from age. His clothes were rumpled slightly, and Kenshin realized that he probably fallen asleep in the back. He scowled at the young man before him, not really seeing who it was as his eyes were trying to adjust to the light. All he could tell was that it was some young teenager. 

"What do you want?! I only sell the best sake here, and I think it's too strong for someone your age. Why don't you go down the street?!" he snapped at Kenshin. He had turned to go back when Kenshin's voice stopped him. 

"I see your memory has not improved since I was here to see you last, Shiskikura - although your afternoon naps seemed to have lengthened. Is this how you always greet old acquaintances?" Kenshin asked, his tone slightly teasing. 

Shiskikura turned back around and squinted at Kenshin, trying to think if he knew him. The boy did look familiar, but he couldn't remember here he had seen him before. "What's your name, son?" 

Kenshin smiled again. "Kenshin Himura, although it is the name of my Shishou that you would know - Sejiro Hiko," Kenshin explained. Shiskikura's eyes lit up in recognition at Hiko's name and he scrutinized Kenshin a little more. 

"Yes, I remember you now. Your master would always send you to pick up his sake for him, correct?" he asked. Kenshin nodded slightly, careful not to bow his head too low for fear of his scar showing through his hair. Shiskikura smiled, now knowing from where he recognized Kenshin. "You were always a polite boy. You sure have grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you. I never would have thought you'd take to poking fun at old men in their last days. You'll get old one day too, ya know, and mark my words-" he began, lecturing Kenshin. 

"Oh, come off it. You're not _that_ old," Kenshin interrupted him. "You'll get to be a grouchy old man for many years to come, so stop acting as if you're going to die tomorrow," Kenshin said, still teasing him. Shiskikura acted offended. 

"That's what's wrong with kids these days. No respect for their elders." He smiled at Kenshin before becoming serious. "So, what can I do for you today? I meant what I said earlier - this stuff is too strong for someone your age." 

"Actually, I was wondering if you had seen Hiko recently?" Kenshin asked, sounding nonchalant. Shiskikura scratched his chin in thought. "No, I haven't seen him in awhile. Come to think of it, I'm surprised he hasn't stopped by to stock up on his sake by now," he said. 

As if on cue, Kenshin felt someone with very strong ki coming towards the shop. They paused, as if they sensed Kenshin was here. Upon further inspection, Kenshin realized that it was indeed Hiko. Now was the time to act. 

"Well, thank you anyway. I've actually got to be going, but it was nice seeing you again," Kenshin said bowing a little awkwardly, still trying to prevent his hair from leaving his left cheek. Shiskikura didn't seem to notice. 

"Take care of yourself, Kenshin. Would you like me to give Hiko a message for you the next time I see him?" he asked as Kenshin opened the door. 

"No, that's alright. Thank you anyway." Kenshin stepped outside and closed the door. He purposefully walked down the street that led out of Kyoto and into the mountains. He had noticed that his master had masked his ki to where Kenshin could barely sense it, and was following him. 

_Shishou, do you really think so little of me as to think that I do not know you are there, especially after having me skills honed by fighting in the Bakumatsu?_ Kenshin thought to himself, a little disgusted. However, he played Hiko's game and acted to be oblivious to his master's presence. 

Kenshin walked until he came to a clearing that would be big enough for them to fight in. He hoped it didn't come to that, but that was his shishou's decision, not his. He walked across the clearing and stopped, turning around. "You can come out now, Shishou," he said, his voice carrying across the clearing. 

After a minute, Hiko walking into the clearing silently. He seemed to be searching Kenshin for something. 

"He's not here, if that's what you're wondering about," Kenshin said, not flinching under Hiko's scrutiny. 

"Not here? How do I know this isn't one of his tricks?" 

Kenshin sighed, annoyed. "Shishou, you can sense him as well as I can. You know perfectly well he's not here." 

Hiko smiled. "So, what are you doing wandering around on my mountain?" 

"I had hoped to work this out without any violence, but if it does come down to a battle between us, this seemed like an ideal place. No bystanders will get in the way," Kenshin explained simply. 

"So you came to my mountain in the hopes of finding me?" 

"Master, do not insult yourself. You yourself taught me how to read ki. I sensed you when I was in Shiskikura's sake shop," Kenshin said, a little disgust evident in his voice. Apparently, he didn't like how little his master thought of him. 

Hiko didn't seemed affected by this. "So, it seems that a little of my teachings actually remain in my baka deshi's head," Hiko said a little sarcastically. 

Kenshin sighed. "So, why do you wish my death?" he asked, changing the subject. 

"It is not your death that I am after, Kenshin, but Battousai's," Hiko explained. Kenshin was more than a little surprised that his master had called him by name. It took a moment for his words to sink in. Kenshin smiled ruefully. 

"Shishou, it was not Battousai who killed all those people. I did. Why do you wish him dead?" 

"No, Kenshin! You should not believe his lies! He forced you to kill those people! You would never have done anything such as this on your own!" Hiko said, vehemently. Kenshin was a little surprised at Hiko's response. He shook his head sadly. 

"Shishou. I became Hitokiri Battousai of my own free will, long before I found out the spirit of the Millennium Mask could take over my body. I had no name by which to call him, so I called him Battousai. You remember that day I left your mountain and went to join the fighting? I meant what I said. I could not stand by and watch all those innocent people suffer if I could do something about it. I'm sorry you believed me weak enough to come running back to you after I had killed someone for the first time. While I do regret taking the lives of so many men, if given the choice I would fight in the Bakumatsu again. I have seen the world that we will create," Kenshin said, closing his eyes briefly in remembrance. Everyone had seemed so happy in Yugi's time. A lot of things had changed for the better because of his sins. He would gladly give up his happiness in order for that world to come about. 

He opened his eyes and continued speaking. "However my yami, which I call Battousai, is already dead, nothing more than a spirit trapped in a magical item. And the Hitokiri Battousai is already gone, replaced by a rurouni who has sworn to never kill again. I live now to repent for all the lives I have taken these past few years. I ask you now, do you still wish my death? Although I would rather not, I will fight you, if that is your wish." 

Hiko had been reading Kenshin's ki, which the latter had made no attempt to conceal, throughout the entire explanation. He could sense no lie, and was pained at what had become of his deshi. Kenshin was always such an innocent boy, Hiko hadn't believed him capable of taking another's life. Hiko thought back to the night he had started hunting his deshi. 

He had happened to be walking through Kyoto one night when he had sensed a familiar presence. Upon further inspection, he had found Kenshin carrying out an assassination. The red head had not noticed his presence and left. Hiko had closed his eyes in sorrow at what Kenshin had become, following his ki as he left the area. It was then that he had realized that Kenshin's ki was faint, as if it was being suppressed. Ever since Hiko had saved the boy, there had been two ki signatures around the boy - one belonging to Kenshin and one to an unknown entity. Hiko had thought nothing of it, as it had created to problems, but now he wasn't so sure. What if that, _thing_ was forcing Kenshin to kill? Hiko's felt his anger rise at the thought. By now, some townsfolk had discovered the bodies and Hiko heard one of them say, "Battousai has struck again!" _Battousai, is it? Well, we shall meet again and one way or another, you will release your hold upon my deshi,_ Hiko thought, his cloak swirling in the wind as he turned and walked away. 

He brought his mind back to the present, trying to decide upon a course of action. _It appears I have no choice. I can imagine what this experience has done to Kenshin. He is no longer an innocent boy, but a bloodstained man. The repercussions of his actions will be felt for many years to come. He will have many problems, especially with his vow to never kill again. Is he strong enough to live in the aftermath of his actions, I wonder? There is only one way to find out. One of us will die today,_ Hiko thought, making a decision. 

"Alright, baka deshi. It is high time you became a master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Today, you will learn the final attack, or you will die." 

Kenshin was a little surprised by his master's change in attitude, and answered as intelligently as he could. "Huh?" 

Hiko sighed. "Baka. Don't try to understand why I do the things I do. You'll only give yourself a headache," he said, superiorly. 

"But, Shishou, I already know the Ku-zu-ryu-sen," Kenshin said, a little confused. How was learning the final attack going to solve anything? 

"Oh? And who said anything about the Ku-zu-ryu-sen being the final attack?" Hiko said, mockingly. He had missed not being able to tease his deshi. 

Kenshin was astonished. _There's an attack beyond the Ku-zu-ryu-sen?_ he thought to himself. Hiko smirked. "The Ku-zu-ryu-sen was originally a by-product in the creation of the final attack and it's used to test all apprentices. The process of learning the final attack is traditionally always started with learning the Ku-zu-ryu-sen. Only if the apprentice is able to break the master's Ku-zu-ryu-sen is the teaching of the final secret considered to be complete. Concentrate on the nature of the Ku-zu-ryu-sen. If you trust in that, the basic form of the Ama-kakeru-ryu-no-hirameki will come to you. Should you fail, you will die by my sword," Hiko said, advancing upon Kenshin slowly. 

Kenshin's mind raced. _Come up with a way to counter it? How am I supposed to do that?! The Ku-zu-ryu-sen is a perfect attack! Nine strokes in all, no way to dodge or block all of them! What does he expect me to do?!_ Kenshin thought, frustrated. It seemed that Hiko was intent on his death. 

_Would that really be such a bad thing? After everything I've done, death is no more than I deserve,_ Kenshin thought sadly. In his minds eye, he saw all the people he had killed in the past few years. Their dying corpses flew by in a quick succession until it stopped on one figure lying in the snow dressed in a white kimono. _No!_ Kenshin thought, suddenly, _ I cannot die yet! There is still so much I need to atone for! But, how can I defeat Shishou's Ku-zu-ryu-sen?!_ Kenshin thought desperately. 

Hiko had cut the distance between them in half and was walking towards his deshi. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Kenshin. _The Ku-zu-ryu-sen cannot be blocked or dodged. That means, I have to attack before he does. My fastest attack would be battoujutsu. But, it would need to be much faster than a normal battoujutsu. What if I--_

"Here I come." 

Hiko charged at Kenshin, drawing his sword, giving Kenshin no more time to think. Now was not the time to be second-guessing oneself, so Kenshin attacked and hoped his theory would work. 

It was over in a matter of seconds. Kenshin and Hiko were both kneeling on opposite sides of the clearing, not moving from where their momentum had carried them. A few seconds passed in silence. 

"Very good…Kenshin. Your will to live…is strong," Hiko said, grinding out each word. He tried to keep the pain out of his voice, but didn't realize it would hurt this much! "I'm sorry for…doubting you, but you must remember…to live, Kenshin." 

It was very difficult to remain in an upright position and his body began to sag, eliciting an involuntary gasp of pain. Hiko could feel Kenshin's ki spike in worry and smiled grimly to himself. 

"Please do not worry. This is the fate of all those who master the Mitsurugi style. When I mastered the Ama-kakeru-ryu-no-hirameki…it was also my shishou…who paid the ultimate price. Think of this as something that happened…outside of your vow…to never kill again." 

Kenshin stood and turned around in time to see his shishou fall to the ground. The white mantle he had so proudly worn had fallen off, and was lying in the dirt. Hiko's hair had come loose from it's binding and was partially covering his face. His sword was lying a few inches from his hand, his grip no longer containing the strength to hold it. His entire body was limp and Kenshin could see where his sword had struck his master across the chest. Kenshin could do no more than just stare in shocked silence for a few minutes. Suddenly, Kenshin screamed, his voice raw with emotion. 

"MAAASTEERRRRRRRRRRRRR!" 

~*~ 

Author's Notes: Wouldn't you guys hate me if I ended it right here? Just kidding! On with the story! 

Hiko woke up and looked around. He was back in his cottage, lying in his futon. He tried to sit up, but fell back with a groan as his chest informed him that moving was a very bad idea. It was then that he realized his chest hand been bandaged to help prevent his broken ribs from moving. He briefly wondered how his ribs could possibly have been broken, when his gaze fell upon the sleeping form of his deshi. Kenshin was sitting across the room, leaning against the wall. His sword was leaning against his right shoulder and his hair was covering most of his face, hiding it from view. The memories of the fight came rushing back, leaving him wondering at the outcome. It was obvious Kenshin had defeated Hiko's Ku-zu-ryu-sen. So, why was Hiko still alive? 

Gritting his teeth against the pain he knew he was going to feel, Hiko stood up, bracing himself against the wall as his vision flickered and threatened to blackout completely. After a moment, he was able to stand without leaning on anything and he carefully made his way over to his deshi. He kneeled down and reached for the sword, trying not to wake Kenshin in the process. He hadn't counted on his deshi's reflexes. 

Kenshin's arm hit Hiko right in the chest, knocking the older man to the ground. Hiko cried out involuntarily at the pain Kenshin had unintentionally inflicted and did not move from the floor, preferring to wait until Kenshin had woken up. 

Kenshin had unsheathed his sword and was searching his surroundings. He had woken feeling someone with very strong ki near him and he was trying to locate him or her now. His gaze landed on his master, sprawled at his feet. He was breathing a little more heavily than he should have been, one hand clutching his chest, and he looked at Kenshin disapprovingly. Kenshin's eyes widened when he realized what he had just done. 

"Shishou! I-" Kenshin faltered, not being able to find any excuse to offer. Hiko just looked at him. 

"A fine way to thank your master for teaching you the ultimate technique, to be sure!" Hiko said more than a little sarcastically. Kenshin eyes widened when he realized Hiko was still hurt from the last battle. 

"Shishou! I'm sorry, are you okay?! I didn't upset your wound, did I?!" Kenshin inquired, noticing Hiko had not moved from his position on the floor. Hiko snorted. 

"As if _you_ could hurt _me_," he said scathingly, picking himself up off the floor. His chest screamed in agony, but he was too proud to show his apprentice how much damage the boy had actually caused. His vision started to black out again, so he closed his eyes to center himself. Not wanted to arose Kenshin's suspicions, he pretended to be contemplating something and asked Kenshin a question. 

"You are now a master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. What are you going to do now?" 

Kenshin didn't even hesitate. "I told you. I'm a rurouni. I am now going to wander around Japan, protecting people with my sakabato," Kenshin explained, re-sheathing his sword. Hiko's eyes opened quickly, looking at the blade before it was completely concealed in the sheath. _Sakabato…a reverse-blade sword. That explains why I'm still alive, at any rate. Kenshin, how long can you be a swordsman wearing a useless weapon such as that? Your superior technique will allow you to easily defeat many of the weaker opponents you will face, but what about the ones that will challenge your skills? I pray you learn the error of your ways before it's too late,_ Hiko thought, his face betraying nothing of what he was thinking. He turned his back towards Kenshin. 

"Well, I suppose you had better be going, Kenshin," he said, dismissing him. Kenshin looked up in surprise. 

"But Shishou! Your wound-" 

"Isn't that bad and will heal fairly quickly," Hiko replied, cutting Kenshin off. "Go. You have better things do be doing than hanging around this shack pestering me all day long. I'll be fine. Now go," Hiko said. 

Kenshin smiled. He knew his master was proud and didn't want to let Kenshin see any weakness from him. However, he was also sensible. If he'd needed Kenshin to stay and take care of him, he would have allowed the boy to stay. 

Being thus reassured of his master's health, Kenshin bowed, thanking him for everything and departed. 

~*~ 

Battousai was worried. He had not been able to contact Kenshin since the boy had left the Mask in the graveyard the day before. Now. He realized it could be something as trifle as Kenshin blocking him from his mind. However, he also realized that it could be something much worse, like Kenshin's death. He had grown more worried as more time passed without word from Kenshin. Therefore, he was considerably surprised when Kenshin's voice popped into his head. 

/Hello, Battousai. How have you been?/ Kenshin asked, nonchalantly. Battousai almost had a heart attack (if he had a heart to begin with). 

//How have I been?! I've been worried sick! Where have you been?! Why didn't you answer when I called?! I feared the worst had happened to you!// he yelled, relieved that Kenshin was alright and angry that he hadn't contacted him sooner. Kenshin just laughed. 

/I'm sorry, Battousai, truly I am. But, you know as well as I that Hiko can sense you. I wasn't sure if he'd be able to sense you, albeit faintly, if we talked and I didn't want to risk it. So, I blocked you out of my mind. I suppose, I forgot to take down the barrier,/ Kenshin explained, a little apologetically. He had arrived at the graveyard and retrieved the Mask, placing it once again around his neck, and started back towards Kyoto. Battousai immediately tried to search through Kenshin's memories of the last day and a half, when he encountered a mental shield. 

//Kenshin, why do you wish for me to not know what transpired between you and your master?// he asked, confused. 

Kenshin shrugged. /I just feel that it is something I would rather keep to myself,/ he answered, as if it was no big deal. Battousai, although curious, decided to drop it. He changed the subject instead. 

//So, where are we headed now?// 

Kenshin stopped walking as Kyoto came into view. Ahead of him lay the city. However a little ways down the road, there was a fork. The right path led to Kyoto. /Do you know where that left path leads?/ Kenshin inquired. 

//No. Why?// 

/Well, let's go find out, shall we?/ Kenshin said. He turned his steps towards the left path, disappearing into the forest. 

~*~ 

**The End**


End file.
